Effects of a Whole-Body General Movement Intervention on Motor Performance, Agility, and Locomotor Skills of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results From a Comparison Between Face-to-face and Telehealth-Based Intervention Delivery

Background Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate significant motor impairments in visuomotor and body coordination, agility, strength. Around 87% of children ASD are at risk for impairments. However, only about 31% these receive rehabilitation services to address their needs. Objective Our randomized clinical trial assessed the effects a general movement (GM) intervention compared standard-of-care seated play (SP) delivered via face-to-face (F2F) telehealth (TH)–based modes delivery on performance, locomotor skills ASD. Methods Thirty 5- 14-year-old were matched age, gender, level functioning randomly assigned GM or SP groups. participated study 10 weeks pretests posttests conducted during first last training interim 8 2 sessions per week. The strength running speed agility subtests Bruininks-Oseretsky Test Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) subtest Gross-motor development (TGMD) administered pretest posttest. In addition, group, task-specific games involving early late changes form accuracy amount prompting required complete actions. Results We found improvements standard scores TGMD from posttest group (pretest mean 6.1, SE 1.0; 8.1, 0.9; P<.001) but not group. Within there no differences rates improvement seen F2F versus TH (F2F 1.8, 0.8; 2.0, 1.7; P=.87). On BOT-2, 36.1, 2.6; 40.9, 3.1; showed composite. Similar trends reported above, magnitude 3.7, SD 1.3; 5.6, 1.5; P=.37). training-specific test skills, improved 74.4, 6.2; 86.5, 4.7; reduced 22.5, 3.5; 16.9, 4.2; P=.02) movements. Both as well similar trends, between modes. Conclusions data suggest that is an effective mode gross interventions can be used promote coordination Conflicts Interest None declared.