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. 2023;35(2):189-207.
doi: 10.1007/s10882-022-09854-9. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Zoom-delivered Physical Activities Can Increase Perceived Physical Activity Level in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Pilot Study

Erkan Yarımkaya  1 , Oğuz Kaan Esentürk  2 , Ekrem Levent İlhan  3 , Serkan Kurtipek  3 , Ayşe Türksoy Işım  4
Affiliations

Zoom-delivered Physical Activities Can Increase Perceived Physical Activity Level in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Pilot Study

Erkan Yarımkaya et al. J Dev Phys Disabil. 2023.

Abstract

Although the benefits of regular physical activity are clearly expressed, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are less physically active than their typically developing peers. Recent empirical studies have revealed that the level of physical activity of children with ASD has further decreased during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has adversely affected the whole world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential efficacy of a Zoom-delivered physical activities for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Twenty-two families (parent and child dyads) participated in the study. Families were assigned randomly to an experimental group (n = 11) and a control group (n = 11). Families in the experimental group were engaged in 10 weeks of the Zoom-delivered physical activities. Data were collected using multiple data collection strategies (Personal Information Form- Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire-Semi-Structured Interview). After the Zoom-delivered physical activities, a significant increase was observed in the physical activity level of children with ASD in the experimental group (F = 95.396, p = 0.000, Ƞ 2 = 0.834). Parents reported that Zoom-delivered physical activities are a viable and useful intervention to increase the level of physical activity of children with ASD. The findings suggest that Zoom-delivered physical activities merit further investigation as an intervention to increase physical activity in children with ASD.

Keywords: Exercise; Intervention; Neurodevelopmental disorder; Perception; Zoom.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of InterestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart for the current study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mean physical activity scores of the groups in pre-test an post-test
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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