Educational Kinesiology: Will the Connected Brain Please Stand Up?

Abstract

Educational Kinesiology, specifically a program called Brain Gym®, advocated the use of specific exercises to assist individuals in overcoming disabilities. Their website also claimed that Brain Gym helped anyone perform academic or motor tasks with greater ease and efficiency. A lack of peer reviewed research made the program susceptible to criticism. This 12 week multiple baseline single subject research studied the effects Brain Gym on two physical indices, one leg standing balance and computer response time. Twelve students from an integrated kindergarten setting, ages five to seven, participated in the study. The students, six with disabilities and six without, were divided into three groups of four. After baselines were established, the Brain Gym intervention was implemented over a nine week period. Baseline averages, for both indexes, were compared to average scores during the intervention period. A modest improvement for both indices was demonstrated with varying results among groups. Individually, some students showed marked improvement while two to three declined in either index. It would appear that Brain Gym had a positive effect on most students.