Effects of Regular Physical Exercises on Physical and Mental Development and Quality of Life in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

The positive effects of sports and physical activity on body health and the maintenance of psychosocial well-being are known. Studies showed that participation in organized physical exercises in line with the structured environment and programs has positive effects on the physical and mental health of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Since there is no psychopharmacological treatment with proven efficacy to prevent or treat ASD, it is also important to investigate non-pharmacological methods in the control of symptoms in ASD. The aim of this study is to review the effects of physical activity on children diagnosed with ASD, through a review of the relevant literature. For this purpose, studies that were available in Google Academic and Pubmed databases between July and August 2020, which evaluated the effects of physical activity on individuals with ASD were reviewed.