A randomized parent-mediated physical activity intervention for autistic children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Sports Science

Background:

• Autistic children often exhibit delays in fundamental motor skills (FMS).
• Parental involvement can be a key factor in therapeutic interventions for children with autism.
• Physical activity interventions show promise for improving motor development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a parent-mediated physical activity intervention on FMS in autistic children.
• To compare the efficacy of in-person versus online intervention delivery models.
• To assess both immediate and post-intervention effects on motor skill acquisition.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 31 parent-child dyads of autistic children (aged 4-11 years).
• Three groups: in-person workshop, online intervention, and control.
• A 12-week intervention with adapted physical activity equipment and a mobile app providing over 200 activities.

Main Results:

• The in-person group demonstrated large effect sizes (Cohen's d = 1.18 for locomotor, 0.82 for ball skills).
• The online group showed medium (0.49 for locomotor) and small (0.26 for ball skills) effect sizes.
• The control group exhibited small effect sizes (0.12 for locomotor, 0.06 for ball skills).

Conclusions:

• Parent-mediated physical activity interventions can effectively enhance FMS in autistic children.
• In-person interventions appear more impactful than online delivery for this population.
• Further research is needed to optimize interventions for motor skill development in autistic children.