Improvements in Motor Skills, Play, and Socialization in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Following a Motor Skill Intervention: Preliminary Results

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience challenges in social communicative skills and repetitive behaviours along with delays in motor skills. These challenges can act a barrier to participation in unstructured active play and organized sport; yet, there are few programs available to that focus on development of skills in multiple domains. Fundamental motor skill (FMS) interventions have been shown to improve motor skills as well as social and behavioural skills in children with ASD. Furthermore, motor skills may provide the foundation to lead to increased time in active play ultimately facilitating improvements in social skills.

Objectives: To determine whether improvements in motor skills are associated with increased socialization following a 12-week FMS intervention.

Methods: Participants with ASD (n = 14, 11 male, 3 female, Mage = 3.51, SD ± 0.52) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 7, Mage = 3.64, SD ± 0.69) or waitlist control group (n = 7, Mage = 3.38, SD ± 0.13) prior to participating in the 12-week FMS intervention. The intervention ran for 1 hour, 2 times per week for 12 weeks. The Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale: 2nd Edition and Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) were completed before and after the intervention. The Vineland-II measures overall adaptive functioning across 4 domains; Communication, Daily Living Skills, Socialization (SOC), and Motor Skills. Play and Leisure Time (PLT) is a sub-domain of the SOC domain. The TGMD-2 measures fundamental motor skills and produces a Gross Motor Quotient (GMQ).

Results: Prior to the intervention, the intervention group had a GMQ mean of 81.57 (SD ± 19.09), SOC standard score mean of 73.86 (SD ± 9.86) and PLT V-scale score mean of 9.71 (SD ± 1.38) whereas the control group showed GMQ mean of 69.14 (SD ± 14.04), SOC standard score mean of 77.43 (SD ± 8.4) and PLT V-scale score mean of 10.57 (SD ± 16.18). There were no significant differences between the groups at the pre-test. Following the intervention, the intervention group displayed GMQ mean of 91.86 (SD ± 20.91), SOC standard score mean of 86.14 (SD ± 17.19), and PLT V-scale score mean of 12.71 (SD ± 3.59) while the control group presented GMQ mean of 76.86 (SD ± 12.93), SOC standard score mean of 76.14 (SD ± 9.17) and PLT V-scale score mean of 10.43 (SD ± 1.51). The intervention group showed significant change from the pre-test to post-test for GMQ (p = 0.045) and PLT V-scale score (p = 0.022). There were significant results of time by group for SOC (p = 0.046) and PLT (p = 0.019) as well as time for GMQ (p = 0.028) and PLT (p = 0.03).

Conclusions: According to the preliminary results, the intervention targeting fundamental motor skills also has a positive impact on socialization and play and leisure time in 3-5 year olds with ASD. Furthermore, early FMS interventions are important in providing opportunities for motor and social skills to develop in hopes of increasing participation in active play.