The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

A substantial body of information derived from both research and clinical sources supports the statement that regularly engaging in physical fitness activities is necessary for optimal health and development in young populations (ages 5-25). A growing area of autism research is demonstrating a prevalence of gross motor deficits in individuals on the spectrum. These motor issues are not limited to cognitively low-functioning individuals, but to the high-functioning autism population as well. In addition to improving physical abilities, physical fitness programs can also enhance life skills, provide opportunities for social interaction, and improve self-esteem and independence.

One of the most substantial obstacles in providing universally applicable physical fitness programs to special- needs populations is the focus, particularly in the U.S., on team-based sports that place a high emphasis on rules and competition. The skill sets for competitive game theory and sport-specific movement patterns are often areas of difficulty for individuals with autism. While team-based sports do offer opportunities for socialization and physical activity, they do not develop many skills that can be generalized to other situations. This presentation will focus on physical education and fitness programs that are developed as alternatives to the team sports model commonly used today.

Appropriate physical fitness programs must meet the physical, adaptive and cognitive needs of students. For individuals with greater cognitive impairment, following a multi-step physical activity may initially prove difficult. Employing a best-practice teaching strategy (using ABA methodology) can enable an instructor to teach movement activities safely, effectively and in a positive environment. For individuals who find exercise aversive, best-practice approaches to teaching are quite valuable. For long-term success and as part of a lifestyle program, physical activity must maintain reinforcing properties. By pairing physical activity with secondary reinforcers, including (but not limited to) behavior-specific praise, access to preferred activities or stimuli and negative reinforcement (removal of task demands), physical activity can be intrinsically reinforcing over time.

As discussed, reliance on sport and sport-specific activities as the primary fitness modality for the ASD population fails from several aspects. It is also important to consider that baseline or foundational movement skills are required to safely and effectively participate in sports activities, while participation in sports activities is not a pre-requisite to being physically fit and optimizing health and emotional regulation. The presentation will include ideas about long-term physical wellness with specific points about generalizing activities to different environments, including the home, classroom, physical education class, outdoors and therapeutic settings. Generalization of skill sets, including speech, fine motor and life skills, is an area often compromised in the autism population. When criteria and expectations are maintained across multiple instructors and environments, independent mastery of target behaviors occurs faster and with greater fluency. Performance of physical activities across a broad range of situations and environments also strengthens mastery of target skills and promotes an active lifestyle, often with more opportunities for reinforcement.

It is important to differentiate between individual (1:1) and group situations for exercise and movement programs. Concepts inherent to successful program implementation are similar to individual scenarios,however groups of individuals with varying abilities (physical, adaptive and cognitive) pose particular challenges for instructors and professionals. This presentation will offer strategies for optimizing physical fitness for groups of young individuals with autism. Through discussion, video examples and hands-on demonstrations with volunteers, participants will gain an understanding of fundamental movement patterns and how to use them in creating an individualized (or group-specific) program. Basic assessment criteria are necessary to create and introduce physical fitness programs to individuals and groups. Participants will learn how to perform a basic abilities screen specific to fitness and movement activities.

Learning objectives for this presentation include:

-         Understanding of physical fitness as related to ASD

-         The five basic movement patterns

-         Best-practice approaches to integrating fitness programs

-         Individual versus group physical education; strategies and programming

-         Practical progression/regressions for mastery of skills

Physical fitness is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of development, both for neurotypical and special- needs populations. Exercise programs can be instrumental in the optimization of educational, vocational and life-skill programs. Additionally, given the current national focus on childhood obesity and “lifestyle”-related diseases, including but not limited to Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, it is important that physical fitness and other preventative modalities be accessible to those with ASD, their families and professionals working with this population. As a long-term developmental strategy, physical fitness should be taught and generalized to novel situations and environments, and enhance quality of life.