Effects of Physical Activity Intervention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Deficits in the theory of mind and executive functions are two of the most commonly cited explanatory hypotheses for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Many social communicative programs have been successfully established in research and practice; however, the effect that physical exercise as a recommendation for interventions by ASD leaders has been underexplored. PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of a 12-week table tennis program on the motor and executive functions of 22 boys with ASD. METHODS: In the first 12 weeks (phase I), 11 boys (group A) received the intervention while 11 boys did not. A second 12 weeks (phase II) immediately followed, with the treatments reversed. Both groups continued their regular treatment/activity throughout the study. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were used to collect data three times, once at study entry (T1), a second time after 12 weeks of intervention (T2), and a third time after another 12 weeks (T3). Changes in dependent variables were examined in relation to treatment, using a two-way ANOVA (group x time) with repeated measured on time (T1 versus T2). Paired t tests were used to examine the treatment effect in group B (T2 versus T3) and potential sustained treatment effect in group A (T2 versus T3). RESULTS: The main findings revealed that (a) group A exhibited significant improvements on the total motor composite (60.09 vs. 49.82, F=8.50, p<0.01) and two aspects of the WCST performances (total correct: 80.73 vs. 70.09, F=9.93, p<0.01; conceptual level response: 76.55 vs. 58.00, F=15.73, p<0.01) for group A as compared with the group B subsequent to the phase I, (b) improvements were also observed for group B subsequent to the phase II in total motor composite (49.82 vs. 61.55, t=-5.58, p<0.01) and two aspects of the WCST performances (total correct: 70.09 vs. 76.00, t=-5.94, p<0.01; conceptual level response: 58.00 vs. 70.09, t=-4.55, p<0.01), and (c) group A merely maintained the improvements they attained through the intervention during phase I. CONCLUSION: Our study contributes to the still scarce, but emerging evidence that physical exercise training may effectively promote the motor and executive functions in ASD population. Supported by Taiwan MOST grant 103-2410-H-017-026-MY3.