The
first phase focused on creating the study groups with different treatment. Three treatment groups were formed.
The
first, experimental group (E) included 21 participants, 12 of whom were children with mild ID and 9 with borderline
ID,
all of whom participated in the fitness program. The second group, control group 1 (K1), included the same number
of
participants (21), 11 of whom were diagnosed with mild ID, 10 with borderline ID. This group did not participate
in
the
fitness
program,
but
was
only
involved
in
the
initial
and
final
testing.
In
order
to
achieve
adequate
control
of
numerous other factors which may affect the scores, groups E and K1 were evenly matched and pairs were
formed,
whereby each child from group E was matched with a child of identical gender, age and IQ from group K1.
Consequently,
the two groups were aligned by gender, age and abilities. Children without disabilities made up the third
group,
control group 2 (K2), consisting of 45 typically developing participants, who did not participate in the fitness
program,
either