Effects of physical exercise on the quality of life of children and adolescents with autism
A literature review
Abstract
The aim of this study was to carry out a bibliographic review on the existing scientific evidence about the effects of physical activity and/or physical exercise programs on conduct, behavior, socialization and quality of life in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A bibliographic search was performed in PubMed and a total of 12 articles that met the inclusion criteria were identified. The results indicate that aquatic interventions (swimming), contact sports (judo), games (group dynamics), dance, team sports (mini-basketball) and general physical activity seem to promote significantly beneficial changes in the lives of children. and adolescents with ASD, such as improvement in emotion management, reduction of self-harming behaviors, increase in self-esteem and personal autonomy, among others. However, the absence of studies longer than twenty-four weeks makes it difficult to know the permanence of these new habits during their lifetime, which in turn makes it difficult to evaluate whether the improvements in the variables studied represent a real qualitative and quantifiable leap in the long term.
References
Afsharnejad, B., Falkmer, M., Black, M. H., Alach, T., Lenhard, F., Fridell, A., Coco, C., Milne, K., Chen, N. T. M., Bölte, S. y Girdler, S. (2019). KONTAKT© for Australian adolescents on the autism spectrum: protocol of a randomized control trial. Trials, 20(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-019-3721-9.
Bak, J. J. y Siperstein, G. N. (1987). Similarity as a factor effecting change in children’s attitudes toward mentally retarded peers. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 91(5), 524-531.
Caputo, G., Ippolito, G., Mazzotta, M., Sentenza, L., Muzio, M. R., Salzano, S. y Conson, M. (2018). Effectiveness of a multisystem aquatic therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(6), 1945-1956. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3456-y.
Carey, M., Sheehan, D., Healy, S., Knott, F. y Kinsella, S. (2022). The effects of a 16-week school-based exercise program on anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095471.
Ferreira, J. P., Andrade Toscano, C. V., Rodrigues, A. M., Furtado, G. E., Barros, M. G., Wanderley, R. S. y Carvalho, H. M. (2018). Effects of a Physical Exercise Program (PEP-Aut) on autistic children’s stereotyped behavior, metabolic and physical activity profiles, physical fitness, and health-related quality of life: a study protocol. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 47. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00047.
Haghighi, A. H., Broughani, S., Askari, R., Shahrabadi. H., Souza, D. y Gentil, P. (2022). Combined physical training strategies improve physical fitness, behavior, and social skills of autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(11), 4271-4279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05731-8.
Marzouki, H., Soussi, B., Selmi, O., Hajji, Y., Marsigliante, S., Bouhlel, E., Muscella, A., Weiss, K. y Knechtle, B. (2022). Effects of aquatic training in children with autism spectrum disorder. Biology, 11(5), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11050657.
Morales, J., Fukuda, D.H., Garcia, V., Pierantozzi, E., Curto, C., Martínez-Ferrer, J.O., Gómez, A.M., Carballeira, E. y Guerra-Balic, M. (2021). Behavioural improvements in children with autism spectrum disorder after participation in an adapted judo programme followed by deleterious effects during the COVID-19 lockdown. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168515.
Najafabadi, M. G., Sheikh, M., Hemayattalab, R., Memari, A. H., Aderyani, M. R. y Hafizi, S. (2018). The effect of SPARK on social and motor skills of children with autism. Pediatrics & Neonatology, 59(5), 481-487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedneo.2017.12.005.
Pan, C. Y. (2010). Effects of water exercise swimming program on aquatic skills and social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 14(1), 9-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361309339496.
Pierantozzi, E., Morales, J., Fukuda, D. H., García, V., Gómez, A. M., Guerra-Balic, M. y Carballeira, E. (2022). Effects of a long-term adapted judo program on the health-related physical fitness of children with ASD. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416731.
Rivera, P., Renziehausen, J. y Garcia, J.M. (2020). Effects of an 8-week Judo program on behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder: a mixed-methods approach. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 51(5), 734-741. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-020-00994-7.
Sansi, A., Nalbant, S. y Ozer, D. (2021). Effects of an inclusive physical activity program on the motor skills, social skills and attitudes of students with and without autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(7), 2254-2270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04693-z.
Sefen, J. A. N., Al-Salmi, S., Shaikh, Z., AlMulhem. J. T., Rajab, E. y Fredericks, S. (2020). Beneficial use and potential effectiveness of physical activity in managing autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 14, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2020.587560.
Shields, N., van den Bos, R., Buhlert-Smith, K., Prendergast, L. y Taylor, N. (2019). A community-based exercise program to increase participation in physical activities among youth with disability: a feasibility study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 41(10), 1152-1159. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2017.1422034.
Siperstein, G. N. (1980). Adjective Checklist (ACL) and Friendship Activity Scale (FAS): instruments for measuring children’s attitudes. Center for Social Development and Education. University of Massachusetts.
Toscano, C. V. A., Barros, L., Lima, A. B., Nunes, T., Carvalho, H. M. y Gaspar, J. M. (2021). Neuroinflammation in autism spectrum disorders: exercise as a “pharmacological” tool. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 129(2), 63-74. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.023.
Wang, J. G., Cai, K. L., Liu, Z. M., Herold, F., Zou, L., Zhu, L. N., Xiong, X., Chen, A. G. (2020). Effects of minibasketball training program on executive functions and core symptoms among preschool children with autism spectrum disorders. Brain Sciences, 10(5), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10050263.
Zanobini, M. y Solari, S. (2019). Effectiveness of the program “Acqua mediatrice di comunicazione” (Water as a mediator of communication) on social skills, autistic behaviors and aquatic skills in ASD children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(10), 4134-4146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04128-4.
Zhao, M., Chen, S., You, Y., Wang, Y. y Zhang, Y. (2021). Effects of a therapeutic horseback riding program on social interaction and communication in children with autism. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052656.
Zhao, M. y Chen, S. (2018). The effects of structured physical activity program on social interaction and communication for children with autism. BioMed Research International, 107, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1825046.
As an open access journal, access to the contents of the journal will be free of charge and the property rights are subject to a Creative Commons license. More specifically, the magazine will be licensed under the 'Attribution - Non-Commercial - No Derivative Works (by-nc-nd') license. This license allows free use of the content, but does not allow commercial use of the original work or the generation of derivative works.
