Motor performance in school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: effects of an extracurricular Physical Education program and socio-ecological correlates

A high rate of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have impaired psy chomotor development. To date, these children have had few opportunities to par ticipate in extracurricular Physical Education programs. However, nowadays a number of intervention programs are arising with the aim of improving their motor performance. The objectives of this study were (1) to analyze the efects on motor performance of an extracurricular Physical Education program implemented in chil dren with ASD, and (2) to examine whether certain sociodemographic variables and learning-related difculties are associated with motor performance. a quasi experimental design was used with 31 participants (experimental group: n=17; 13 boys, 4 girls) (control group: n=14; 12 boys, 2 girls) with ASD between 4 and 16 years old. On the one hand, the level of motor performance was evaluated with the Move ment Evaluation Battery for Children-2nd edition (MABC-2). On the other hand, the parents provided sociodemographic information about the participants through a questionnaire. after carrying out the intervention program, the experimental group obtained statistically signifcant better results in the variables of manual dexterity and balance. Furthermore, the correlation analysis of sociodemographic variables and learning-related difculties suggests that age, type of diagnosis, need for edu cational support, and traits such as impulsivity and hyperactivity are factors related to the motor domain of the population with ASD. The fndings highlight signif cant improvements, showing the need to address these difculties to stimulate and encourage the development of children with ASD from an early age.