Browsing by Author "Gouws, Chantell"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The effects of a kinder kinetic intervention programme on the motor proficiency levels and scholastic performance of children aged 6- 8 years
    (2009) Gouws, Chantell; Longhurst, G.K.; van der Berg
    The effect of movement on academic performance is often underrated. Movement is essential to learning and can be regarded as the door to learning. Researchers argue about the importance of movement because there seems to be a positive interchange between the brain and the body. This study reports on the influence of a kinderkinetic intervention programme on the scholastic performance of 6-8 year old children. Children were selected from schools in the Northern Zululand area of KwaZulu/Natal. Two groups of children were used in this study (a control and experimental group) went through a pre-test and post-test using three test batteries. The experimental group was subjected to an eight-week kinderkinetic movement programme. The results indicate that the children in the experimental group showed an improvement in scholastic performance compared to the children in the control group. There was a significant correlation (r= 36, p£ 0.05) between motor proficiency scores and the scholastic performance of subjects in the experimental group. There was a meaningful relationship (r=-o.55, p<0.05) between the motor proficiency scores and the scores obtained on the Connor Classroom Behaviour Questionnaire. There was a significant relationship (r=-0.35, p< 0.05) for the control group and a negative correlation of ( r=-0.35, p<0.10) for the experimental group. Three of the four hypothesis were accepted.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effects of hypohydration and fluid balance in athletes’ cognitive performance: a systematic review
    (African Health Sciences, 2022-04-29) Dube, Adiele; Gouws, Chantell; Breukelman, Gerrit
    Background: The effects of progressive body fluid loss on athletic and cognitive performance are known to result from exposure to environmental heat stress, morphologic factors, and limited fluid replenishment. Athletes need to restore lost body water. However, athletes may fail to maintain euhydration during exercise. This systematic review investigated hypohydration and fluid balance effects on an athlete’s cognitive function. Methods: The PubMed, Sports Discuss, and Ebsco databases were searched for studies reporting on hypohydration, fluid balance and heat on cognitive performance in sport. Multiple phrases including hydration, dehydration, fluid balance, mood, cognition, vigilance, decision making, and brain were explored. Participants in the studies did either receive fluid or did not receive fluid during exercise. Results: Twenty-four trials (n=493 participants) from 24 articles met the inclusion criteria. Significant hypohydration, >2% body mass loss was reported consistently in 16 publications. Five articles where hypohydration was associated with heat stress and limited fluid intake (3-5% body mass loss) impaired cognitive performance. Mood disturbance, fatigue, and ratings of perceived exertion constantly complemented hypohydration impairment on cognition. Conclusion: Findings show that hypohydration impairs cognitive performance and mood at higher levels of 3-5% body mass loss. However, sport-specific cognitive protocols of accessing hypohydration and fluid balance in individual and team sports remain equivocal.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Treatments, therapies and activities in learners with autism spectrum disorder and the efficacy of selected interventions on social communication
    (University of Zululand, 2019) Gouws, Chantell; du Preez, C.J.; Govender, S.
    Despite the sensitivity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and the fact that there is an increase worldwide as well as in South Africa, parents/guardians and learners face many challenges on a daily basis. The difficulties that many of these parents/guardians and learners’ face are with social communications; social interaction; restricted and repetitive behavior patterns and interest in specific objects or topics. There are various treatments, therapies, interventions and activities available for these learners’. The objective of this study is to describe current treatments, therapies, interventions and activities utilized by learners diagnosed with ASD in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. As well as to investigate the efficacy of interventions on the learners’ social communications. The study also aimed to describe current pharmaceutical and supplement-based treatments used by learner diagnosed with ASD. The study also explored the role of a sensory integration intervention on mood, behavior and cognition of learners diagnosed with ASD. The study examines the effects of motor skill and horse riding activities on the social communication skills of learners diagnosed with ASD. The study collected data from various schools and centers (specializing in ASD), parents/guardians of learners diagnosed with ASD. Data was obtained through three methods: 1) Pharmaceutical and Supplement-based treatment survey, 2) Sensory Integration intervention program, and 3) Motor skill and Horse Riding activity observations. No differentiation was made between race groups during the study. The pharmaceutical and supplement-based survey consisted 24 children aged 2-12 years diagnosed with ASD. The sensory integration therapy, twelve children aged 2-7 years participated in the intervention. In the motor skill activity case study, three boys aged 6-8 years were observed in the horse riding lesson, four boys age 9-13 participated. The results of the study identified the various treatments therapies, interventions and activities that can assist that learners diagnosed with ASD to participate in daily activities. These finding will also assist parents and tutors working with learners on a daily basis. Considering the increase in prevalence of ASD, it is very important that more education is provided on which treatment, therapy, intervention and activity suitable is for their child. Awareness raising in the media to reduce the stigma, improve understanding of ASD, encouragement for early diagnoses and encouragement take up of various interventions to address symptoms associated with ASD is also important.