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Published on: December 7, 2018
Effects of Physical Exercise and Virtual Training on Visual Attention Levels in Children with Autism Spectrum
1Department of PE, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China.
Insights
Virtual training (VT) and physical exercise (PE) significantly improved visual attention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both interventions enhanced the detection rate of probe stimuli, offering new therapeutic avenues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and behavior.
- Visual attention deficits are common in children with ASD and can impact learning and daily functioning.
- Interventions targeting visual attention may offer significant benefits for individuals with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of virtual training (VT) and physical exercise (PE) in improving visual attention in children with ASD.
- To evaluate the impact of a 6-week VT program using FIFA21 and a PE program involving football matches on visual attention.
- To assess changes in visual attention using the multiple object tracking (MOT) paradigm.
Main Methods:
- One hundred children diagnosed with ASD were randomly assigned to three groups: VT (n=34), PE (n=33), or a control group (CG, n=33).
- The VT group engaged in FIFA21 gameplay, while the PE group participated in football matches, both thrice weekly for 6 weeks.
- Visual attention was assessed using the multiple object tracking (MOT) paradigm before and after the 6-week intervention period.
Main Results:
- No significant improvements were observed in the correct rate of ring tracking across any group.
- Both the VT and PE groups demonstrated significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the detection rate of probe stimuli compared to the CG.
- The findings indicate that both VT and PE interventions positively impacted the visual attention of children with ASD.
Conclusions:
- Virtual training and physical exercise are effective interventions for enhancing visual attention in children with ASD.
- These findings suggest that engaging, game-based, and physical activities can be valuable tools in supporting the development of visual attention skills in this population.
- Further research could explore the long-term effects and optimal parameters for VT and PE interventions in ASD.
Abstract:
This study compared the effects of physical exercise (PE) and virtual training (VT) on the improvement of the visual attention mechanism in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hundred eighty-nine children with ASD were recruited from Orphan School in Liaoning Province, China. After screening, 100 children ultimately participated in the experiment. Children with ASD were randomly assigned to VT (VT, n = 34), PE (PE, n = 33) and control group (CG, n = 33). The VT group experiment was performed in a virtual environment through the game FIFA21 three times per week for 6 weeks. The PE group played physical football matches three times per week for 6 weeks. Children with ASD in the CG group did not receive VT or PE but only received psychological counseling. Visual attention of children with ASD is evaluated by using the multiple object tracking paradigm (MOT). After 6 weeks of observation, although none of the three groups saw improvements in the correct rate of ring tracking, the observations of the VT and PE groups were significant (p < 0.05) compared to the CG group in finding detection rate of probe stimulus. Through MOT tests, VT and PE improved the detection rate of probe stimulus in children with ASD. Therefore, this paper indicates that VT and PE can improve the visual attention ability of children with ASD.
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