NCT05131347

Effects of Motor Skill Occupational Therapy Intervention ON ASD (Motion ASD)

Effects of a Motor Intervention Program on Motor Skills and Adaptive Functions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: National Cheng Kung University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 4 Years – 5 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The study will be a randomized controlled trial, which will aim to establish the appropriate and feasible content of the planned motor intervention program. A sample of 30 young children with ASD (4 to 5 years old) will be randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Children in the treatment group will receive a 8-week motor skill intervention program. Children in the control group will receive a 8-week cognitive training program. Each week will be of 1.5-hour duration. Outcome measurements will consist of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition Brief Form and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Third Edition. A two-factor mixed design ANOVA will be conducted to compare pre- and post-tests differences in the treatment and control groups. The findings of the proposed study will be useful for occupational therapists and clinicians to assist caregivers in implementing the intervention program and will contribute to knowledge regarding the effects of motor intervention program on increasing the motor skills of young children with ASD in Taiwan. Practitioners can design a standard treatment manual and provide information for implementing the motor intervention program. The expected results will help clinicians apply empirical knowledge to provide and promote the health and development of young children with ASD.

Detailed description

Introduction: Preschool children with autism spectrum disorder may have motor difficulties in performing daily activities. Therefore, effective and economical interventions are very important to support them. However, the empirical evidence was still weak due to poor research designs and little research was comprehensively investigated children's motor performance. Aim: This study will implement a dose-matched control group and comprehensive measurements to examine if the motor skill intervention program will improve children's motor performance. Hypotheses: The hypothesis will be that the better improvements would show in the motor skill intervention program than those in the cognitive training program. Method: Thirty preschool children with autism spectrum disorder will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the motor skill intervention program group or the cognitive training program group after pretest phase. Both groups will conduct 8-week intervention programs and be assessed after interventions. Children's motor performance will be assessed by the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition Brief Form and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	motor intervention	Children in the motor intervention group will receive motor skills training based on motor learning theory. Movement activities include playing on trampoline and tilt board, walking on knees, toes and heels, creeping and crawling under different obstacles, jumping forward and backward, driving scooter board, playing balance devices, hopping, and visual motor coordinated movement. These activities are designed from easy to complex.
BEHAVIORAL	cognitive intervention	Children in the cognitive intervention group will receive cognitive training. The activities consist of 12 exercises with progressive cognitive demands at 10 levels to improve cognitive functions such as attention, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-05-06
• Primary completion: 2024-11-13
• Completion: 2024-11-13
• First posted: 2021-11-23
• Last updated: 2025-05-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan