ERIC Number: EJ1178784
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-May
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: N/A
The Levels of Physical Activity and Motor Skills in Young Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aged 2-5 Years
Ketcheson, Leah; Hauck, Janet Lynn; Ulrich, Dale
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v22 n4 p414-423 May 2018
Autism spectrum disorder is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. As such, there is an unprecedented need for research examining factors contributing to the health disparities in this population. This research suggests a relationship between the levels of physical activity and health outcomes. In fact, excessive sedentary behavior during early childhood is associated with a number of negative health outcomes. A total of 53 children participated in this study, including typically developing children (mean age = 42.5 ± 10.78 months, n = 19) and children with autism spectrum disorder (mean age = 47.42 ± 12.81 months, n = 34). The t-test results reveal that children with autism spectrum disorder spent significantly less time per day in sedentary behavior when compared to the typically developing group (t(52) = 4.57, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the results from the general linear model reveal that there is no relationship between motor skills and the levels of physical activity. The ongoing need for objective measurement of physical activity in young children with autism spectrum disorder is of critical importance as it may shed light on an often overlooked need for early community-based interventions to increase physical activity early on in development.
Descriptors: Young Children, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Correlation, Physical Activity Level, Life Style, Comparative Analysis, Psychomotor Skills, Preschool Children, Children, Motor Development, Cognitive Ability, Statistical Analysis
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Special Education Programs (ED/OSERS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Michigan
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Mullen Scales of Early Learning; Peabody Developmental Motor Scales
Grant or Contract Numbers: H325D110003