Comparison of the Rhythmic Ability of People with Intellectual Disabilities, Down Syndrome and People without Disabilities

Rhythmic ability is a complex coordinative capacity evidenced in various daily activities. It is characterized by sensorimotor synchronization, or the adaptation of movements to a constant external stimulus, and by producing a regular constant beat called spontaneous tempo. In the study we evaluated spontaneous tempo, specifically the rate to produce 21 blows, and synchronization ability in a single test pattern and other quaternary patterns at a rate of 60 bpm. We used the Montilla Rhythm Test (c) (1998) with a group of 10 people with Down syndrome (DS), (M = 39.7 years, SD = 6.18), a group of 14 people with intellectual disabilities (ID), (M = 37.8 years, SD = 5.25), both groups with the intellectual capacity of a 6-7 year old, and a final group of 15 participants with no disability (ND), (M = 6.33 years; SD = 0.48). In the spontaneous tempo test, the results showed significant differences between participants with ND and the other two groups (DS and ID). There were no statistical differences between the groups in the synchronization test (single and quaternary pattern) at 60 bpm. Given the quaternary pattern test's complexity, it was not carried out by any of the participants with DS. The tests are suitable for quantifying the rhythmic abilities of the groups, although in the future it will be necessary to expand the number of participants and improve the protocol to facilitate understanding and performance with people with disabilities.