The effects of active game intervention and Exergames on the executive function of high-functioning Autistic children

Abstract

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder has been suggested as a neurological disorder that usually occurs in the early years of a child’s development. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of active game intervention and Exergames on executive functions in children with autism. Method: The method of this research is quasi-experimental and applied in terms of purpose, which was done using a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The subjects of the present study were children with autism aged 7 to 10 years in Gorgan in 2021, from which 36 people were selected by convincing method from two centers of children with autism. The instruments used in this study included the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale and the Working Memory Test. The Stroop effect test was also used to measure selective attention. Data analysis was performed using analysis of covariance and SPSS software version 24. Results: The results showed that active game intervention had positive effects on working memory (P=0.001) and selective attention (P=0.001). In addition, Exergames intervention had positive effects on working memory (P=0.001) and selective attention (P=0.001). Conclusion: In general, the results of the present study emphasize the importance of using active games and Exergames interventions to improve and strengthen executive functions in highfunctioning autistic children.