Effectiveness of an Intensive Drowning Prevention Program and Skills Retention by Children with and without Disabilities

Authors

Anna L. Forde OTD, OTR/L, CTRS, MGH Institute of Health ProfessionsFollow
Emily A. Zeman OTD, MS, OTR/L, MGH Institute of Health ProfessionsFollow
Lynn Clarke, City of NaplesFollow

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.12.02.05

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Exercise Science | Health and Physical Education | Kinesiology | Leisure Studies | Other Rehabilitation and Therapy | Public Health | Sports Sciences

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a drowning prevention program and the retention of swimming and water safety skills for 3-14 year-old children with and without disabilities. The intensive program, SWIM Central, used a top-down approach to teach 6 swimming and water safety skills during 10, 30-minute sessions. A post-participation parent survey results suggested that children ages 3-14 with and without disabilities who had previously participated in SWIM Central retained swimming and water safety skills to a similar degree. The current swim skill assessments showed that there was not an overall difference in swim skill performance in the presence of a disability; therefore, the SWIM Central program was effective in increasing overall swimming performance for children with and without disabilities.

Recommended Citation

Forde, Anna L. OTD, OTR/L, CTRS; Zeman, Emily A. OTD, MS, OTR/L; and Clarke, Lynn (2020) "Effectiveness of an Intensive Drowning Prevention Program and Skills Retention by Children with and without Disabilities," International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education: Vol. 12: No. 2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.12.02.05
Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol12/iss2/5