صدف کفشدوزی بوکانی

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of paired practice using a cooperative approach on learning basketball shooting skills in adolescents with high-functioning autism. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with follow-up and transfer phases, including a control group. From all ۱۴ to ۱۶-year-old boys and girls with high-functioning autism at the Bavar Rehabilitation Center in Tehran, ۲۴ participants (۱۲ in the experimental group and ۱۲ in the control group) were voluntarily selected to participate in the study.The study consisted of pretest, intervention (practice), posttest, retention, and transfer phases. In the pretest phase, participants performed ۱۲ trials of a free-throw basketball shooting test. The intervention phase lasted ۱۲ weeks, with two sessions per week, each lasting ۳۰ minutes. During these sessions, the experimental group practiced in pairs with a cooperative approach, performing ۱۲ throws in three blocks of four trials, and were informed of the results by the examiner. In contrast, the control group practiced individually, performing ۱۲ throws in three blocks of four trials without any assistance or feedback from the examiner.After ۲۴ training sessions, an acquisition test (posttest) was conducted, followed by a retention and transfer test (with an additional half-meter distance) one week later. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).The results showed that paired practice using a cooperative approach had a significant effect on improving basketball shooting skills in adolescents with high-functioning autism (p < ۰.۰۵). Furthermore, the paired practice group outperformed the free practice group in learning basketball shooting skills (p < ۰.۰۵). However, free practice alone did not have a significant impact on the learning of basketball shooting skills in adolescents with high-functioning autism (p > ۰.۰۵).Based on these findings, it is recommended that coaches and specialists incorporate such training programs into their instruction and take advantage of the benefits of this training method in both field and laboratory settings to enhance motor performance.