Implications of Social Groups on Sedentary Behavior of Children with Autism: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This pilot study compared sedentary behavior (SB) of children with autism (ASD) to typically developing peers (TD), and evaluated the influence of social contexts within free play (FP) and organized activity settings on SB of children with ASD during an inclusive summer camp. Participants with ASD were matched with TD peers by age and gender, and a modified OSRAC-P was utilized to assess SB and social context by setting. SB did not differ by diagnosis (ASD, TD), setting, or social contexts. In FP, children with ASD spent significantly more time in SB within social contexts compared to solitary contexts. ASD-related social deficits may facilitate SB in children with ASD during summer camp FP social contexts, compared to a solitary context.