Comparison of Physical Activity and Sports Participation in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare psychosocial factors associated with physical activity and participation in sports between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children. METHODS: The sample consisted of 49 nine-year old children with ASD (85% male) and 70 nine-year old TD children (85% male) who were part of a large, national study, the Growing Up in Ireland Study, which examined a series of demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial variables in children. Children and parents completed questionnaires that asked about their physical activity (PA), participation in sports, social factors (friends, bullying), and psychological variables (perception of intelligence, popularity, happiness, anxiety). T-tests compared differences between activity and psychosocial variables in children with ASD and TD children, while multiple regression examined which factors were associated with PA and sports participation. RESULTS: Independent samples t-tests revealed that children with ASD had lower amounts of PA (p=.01), spent less time with friends (p=.0001), had fewer close friends (p<.0001), viewed themselves as less popular (p<.0001), reported greater feelings of anxiety (p=.01), and were less likely to participate in sports (p=.002). Regression analyses indicated that being a victim of bulling (β=-.28, p=.03) was associated with lower levels of PA in TD children, with a trend towards greater perceptions of popularity (β=.1, p=.08) associated with greater levels of PA. Children who were victims of bullying also reported less sports participation (β=-.23, p=.03). In children with ASD, greater time spent with friends (β=.45, p=.0006) and greater perceptions of intelligence (β=.2, p=.004) were associated with greater levels of PA, while none of the psychosocial variables were associated with sports participation. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ASD have lower levels of PA and sports participation than TD children. Interventions aimed to increase PA in children with ASD need to take into account differences in psychosocial factors associated with PA compared to TD children.