The Effectiveness of Volleyball Exercises on Cognitive Function and Daily Living Skills in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Maryam Khazaei  Poul; Parvin  Raji; Mohammadreza  Gharib; Elham  Faghihzadeh

doi:10.18502/jimc.v8i2.17701

Maryam Khazaei Poul Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Parvin Raji Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammadreza Gharib Dr Gharib Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center of Chronic Psychiatric Patients Nowshahr, Mazandaran, Iran
Elham Faghihzadeh Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jimc.v8i2.17701

Keywords: Activities of daily living, Cognitive function, Instrumental activities of daily living, Schizophrenia, Volleyball

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of volleyball exercises on executive function and daily living skills in schizophrenia.

Methods: In this randomized study, 28 individuals with schizophrenia participated. The intervention was volleyball exercises for two months. The Functional Independence Measure, The Lawton instrumental activities of daily living scale‏, and Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment battery tests were used in this study. Repeated measures and effect size were utilized for analysis.

Results: Volleyball exercises improve cognitive function and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) in the intervention group in the following: group effect, time effect, and group and time interaction. They were significant respectively (p-value¹=0.041, p-value²=0.001, p-value³=0.001, Cohen’s d=1.267,1.266), (p-value¹=0.001, p-value²=0.001, p-value³= 0.001, Cohen’s d=3.967,3.749). With this intervention, no significant difference was observed between the control and intervention groups in instrumental activities of daily Living.

Conclusion: Volleyball exercises improve executive function and ADLs in individuals with schizophrenia.