A randomized parent-mediated physical activity intervention for autistic children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate and post effects of a parent-mediated physical activity intervention on the fundamental motor skills of autistic children. We randomly assigned parent-child dyads (n = 31) of autistic children aged 4–11 years into three groups (workshop, an online, or control group). Each dyad participated in a 12-week intervention and was given adapted physical activity equipment and over 200 activities via a mobile application. Children were tested at the start and end of the intervention. The effect size (Cohen's (Figure presented.)) of the control group for pre-post locomotor and ball skill scores were 0.12 and 0.06, respectively, indicating small effect size. The effect size of the online group for pre-post locomotor and ball skill scores were 49 and 0.26, respectively, indicating medium and small effect sizes. The effect size of the in-person group for pre-post locomotor and ball skill scores were 1.18 and 0.82, respectively, indicating large effect sizes. The outcomes of this physical activity intervention suggest that parents may facilitate the acquisition of fundamental motor skills of their autistic children. Although these results are positive, there is a need to further identify effective interventions for fundamental motor skill development in autistic children. Clinical Trials ID: NCT05159102.