Adult Educational Programming Research Project: Methods Dr. Deborah Fidler Professor of Human Development and Family Studies Colorado State University Dr. Karen Riley Dean Morgridge College of Education University of Denver

Overarching study goals  Enhance adult education experiences by shaping curriculum and instruction to meet needs of individuals with DS

Study Modules  Wellness I: Dance and Physical Activity  Wellness II: Nutrition and healthy choices  Social Communication  Personal safety

Key feature of project  “Phenotype informed” modifications  Visual supports for instructions and planning  Activities embedded in socially rewarding contexts  Supports to enhance/accommodate for working memory needs  Minimizing language demands  Token economy

Current Progress Fall 2015: Piloted Wellness I (Physical Activity) with 9 adults with DS  Curriculum revision Spring 2016: First research cohort of adults with DS for Wellness I (N=17) Summer 2016: Second cohort of adults with DS for Wellness I Summer 2016: First cohort will begin Wellness II

Study Design  Two groups: treatment and control  Groups equated on overall developmental measures  Control group design:  Wait-list control for Wellness I  Alternative treatment control for Wellness II, Safety, & Communication

Study design  All participants are assessed on a battery of measures pre- and post-treatment for each module  All participants assessed on developmental dimensions pre- and post- the four modules

Measures  Overall measures to track developmental gains across 4 modules:  Stanford-Binet (5 th Edition; Roid, 2003)  Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (2 nd Edition; Sparrow, Cicchetti & Balla, 2005)  Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Function (BRIEF; Roth, Isquith & Gioia; 2005)  Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (4 th Edition; Dunn, 2007)  Expressive Vocabulary Test (2 nd Edition; Williams 2007)  Medical and Health History Questionnaire

Stanford Binet-5  Overall verbal and non-verbal intellectual functioning Fluid reasoning Knowledge Quantitative reasoning Visuo-spatial Processing Working memory

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (2 nd Edition)  Communication  Expressive  Receptive  Written  Daily Living Skills  Personal  Domestic  Community  Socialization  Interpersonal relationships  Play and Leisure Time  Coping

BRIEF  Behavior regulation index  Inhibit  Shift  Emotional Control  Self-Monitor  Metacognition index  Initiate  Working memory  Plan/organize  Task monitor  Organization of materials

Measures related to Wellness I Physical Activity  Additional measures  Physical activity assessment  Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (Topolski et al., 2006)  Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale- Adult Version (Sechrist, Walker, & Pender, 1987)

Wellness I: Physical Activity  Week 1 Defining Exercise  Week 2 Stretching  Week 3 Exercises Targeting Core  Week 4 Exercises Targeting Upper Body  Week 5 Nutrition During Exercise  Week 6 Exercises Targeting Lower Body  Week 7 Group and Team Exercise  Week 8 Benefits of Exercise  Week 9 Selecting and Planning for Exercises  Week 10 Review

Sample lesson  Opening  Social greeting and Warm Up song and Dance  Lecture  Review of material from previous sessions by asking students questions regarding content (e. g. “Who can tell me some of the steps to exercise?”  Warm up and Stretching  Warm up song video and Personal Trainer lead stretching session  Lecture  Introduction to new content (e.g. What positive changes happen when you exercise?” and visual power point lecture slides to accompany material  Exercise  Personal Trainer demonstrates various circuit stations and divides group into smaller groups (2- 3 individuals per 1 course assistant)  Cool Down  Dance and Stretching

Research Questions  Do participants in the treatment groups make greater gains in the substantive areas from pre to post-treatment?  Do participants demonstrate meaningful gains in adaptive behavior after completing all four modules?

Data Analysis Plan  All pre- and post- treatment assessments are scored and entered into SPSS files  Researchers will be naïve to which participant group contains data from cohort 1 or 2  Paired t-test or Repeated Measures ANOVA will be used to analyze whether the treatment group made more meaningful gains in content and developmental measures compared to control group

Acknowledgements Colorado State University Brianne Gerlach- McDonald Emily Schworer University of Denver Kristin Hultgren Tanya Talapatra Karen Riley Paige Riley Ryan Davison Peter Gladstone Abby Clements Abby Meinhart Annie Biehl Taeler Rodriguez Global Down Syndrome Foundation Michelle Whitten Bryn Gelaro Megan Lindstrom Martha Cronen All of our participating individuals and their families!