Activity participation and motivation in Down syndrome

Abstract

This paper examines activity participation, motivational style, and daily living skills in the Down syndrome (DS) behavioral phenotype. Children with DS (n = 26) and mixed-etiology intellectual disability (ID, n = 18) ages 5 - 22 participated. The CBCL was used to assess activity participation, the Reiss Profile MR/DD measured motivational style, and the VABS measured daily living skills. Children with DS were more motivated by independence than children with ID (p = .001). In the DS group, sports participation was negatively associated with pain avoidance (r = -.429) and frustration avoidance (r = -.518) but positively associated with daily living skills (r = .452). Daily living skills were negatively associated with curiosity. Though children with DS were motivated by independence, this was not necessarily related to function. Individuals with DS may need heightened tolerance for frustration and even pain to maintain motivation for physical activity. Implications for intervention are discussed.