Effects of physical activity program on psychomotor and psycho-social characteristics of autistic children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Sports Science

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and behavior.
• Psychomotor and psychosocial characteristics are often affected in autistic children, impacting their overall development and quality of life.
• Physical activity interventions show promise in addressing some of these challenges, but evidence for specific program effects requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a 10-week Physical Activity Program (PAP) on the psychomotor and psychosocial characteristics of autistic children.
• To evaluate the effects of PAP on autistic symptoms, motor competence, physical fitness, quality of life, and social skills.
• To determine the efficacy of a structured PAP in improving developmental outcomes for children with ASD.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods sequential exploratory design was employed with 40 autistic children (aged 8-12 years), divided into a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG).
• The EG participated in a 10-week PAP (60 min/day, 3 days/week). Standardized assessments included GARS-2, BOT-2 SF, Eurofit Test Battery, PedsQL, and SSRS-P.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using Mann Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, while qualitative data from focus group interviews were analyzed thematically.

Main Results:

• The PAP group (EG) showed statistically significant improvements in all subtests of the Gilliam Autistic Disorder Rating Scale-2 (GARS-2) and total scores compared to the CG (p < 0.05).
• Significant increases in motor competence (BOT-2 SF) and physical fitness (Eurofit Test Battery) were observed in the EG (p < 0.05).
• Qualitative data supported positive effects on social skills and quality of life, though quantitative measures did not reach statistical significance for these aspects (p > 0.05). Effect sizes indicated moderate to very large effects for PAP on autistic symptoms, motor skills, and physical fitness.

Conclusions:

• A 10-week PAP is effective in improving motor skills, physical fitness, and reducing autistic symptoms in children with ASD.
• While PAP shows promise, longer intervention periods may be necessary to achieve significant quantitative improvements in social skills and quality of life.
• The findings support the integration of physical activity programs into therapeutic strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder to enhance developmental outcomes.