Utjecaj organiziranih sportskih aktivnosti na motoričku efikasnost djece s oštećenjem sluha
The impact of organized sports activities on the motor efficiency of children with hearing impairment

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether participation in sports activities effect the motor efficiency of hearing impaired children in such a way that their motor efficiency developed to the same extent as that of normal-hearing children involved in the same activities. The research sample included a total of 80 children ranging 7-11 years of age, which were divided into 4 groups (normal-hearing children-athletes, normal-hearing children-nonathletes, hearing-impaired children-athletes, and hearingimpaired children-nonathletes). For the purpose of the study, a form about participation in sports was used, and subjects weremeasured in seven motor efficiency tests. A 2x2 ANOVA was used to determine the differences in motor efficiency with respect to the factors of hearing impairment, participation in sports, and their interaction. The findings show that hearing-impaired children achieve significantly lower results in the motor efficiency in comparison to normal-hearing children. Only the results of tests to assess the strength and endurance of the upper body and the strength and flexibility of the upper body were equal for both categories of children. On the other hand, children who participate in sports achieve better results on tests of motor efficiency, only the results of tests assessing the balance and flexibility are equal in children-athletes and children-nonathletes, which could imply a neglect of the development of balance and flexibility in the training process. There was a difference in motor efficiency between normalhearing children-athletes and hearing-impaired children-athletes, which might be explained by the inappropriate conditions for exercising that hearing-impaired children have and the still-too-brief and low-volume training process, which would eventually lead to equalization of the motor efficiency of children regardless of hearing loss.

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