Aim: Childhood is considered a critical period for developing motor skills through appropriate physical exercises, which ultimately enhance brain function and performance. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of sensory–motor exercises with a game sense approach on executive and motor control in children with learning disorder.
Methods: This quasi-experimental, applied research employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included 36 female children with learning disorder (mean age = 8.39 ± 0.49 years) who were recruited from learning disorder centers in Mashhad and randomly assigned to two intervention groups (sensory–motor with a game sense approach, sensory–motor with a goal-oriented approach) and one control group. The intervention groups participated in sensory–motor integration training twice a week for eight weeks (60 minutes per session). During this period, the control group continued their usual activities. Executive control (inhibitory control) and motor control (gross motor skills) were assessed before and after the intervention using the Stroop Test and the Burininks-Oseretsky Test, respectively.
Results: A mixed MANOVA showed that sensory–motor exercises with a game sense approach significantly improved executive and motor control across all variables compared to the control group. In comparison with the goal-oriented group, improvements were observed only in running speed and agility (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Sensory–motor exercises based on a play-oriented approach can serve as an effective intervention to enhance executive and motor control in children with learning disorder.
