A REVIEW OF RESEARCH ON PHYSICAL EXERCISE WITH PEOPLE WITH SEVERE ANDPROFOUND DEVELOPMENTAL-DISABILITIES

During the last two decades, a significant amount of research has exam ined physical exercise with people with severe and profound developmen tal disabilities. The research has followed three main objectives: 1) finding strategies for allowing the people to engage in physical exerc ise fairly independent; 2) improving the people's physical fitness; an d 3) reducing the people's deviant behavior. This paper reviews the st udies related to the aforementioned objectives and comments on the mai n findings and on the practicality and acceptability of physical exerc ise. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.