An Evaluation of the Sharing Dance Public School Program on Physical Literacy.

Introduction: Physical literacy (PL) is a multidimensional concept that includes the domains of movement competence, positive affect, social participation, and the confidence, motivation, and knowledge and understanding necessary for regular engagement in physical activity. The Sharing Dance Public School Program was created by Canada's National Ballet School specifically designed to promote PL through dance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program to improve PL in grade 4 to 6 children over the course of a school year. Methods: Children were initially recruited from two schools including an intervention and a control school. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection was prematurely terminated which resulted in baseline and mid-point data from the intervention group only. As such, participants included 57 children (n = 28 females, Mage = 10.34 ± 0.85 years) that engaged in the dance program once per week for 50 minutes. Assessments of PL included a direct measure of movement competence (PLAYfun) and a self-report measure (survey) to assess the other domains of PL. Results: Significant improvements were found in movement competence. However, significant decreases were found for fun and enjoyment, confidence, and social participation. No changes were observed for knowledge and understanding or overall PL. Conclusions: Findings from the present study are encouraging as they provide initial evidence for the support of community-based PL programs, such as the Sharing Dance Public School Program, to help children develop their movement competence. Future research is needed to further evaluate the effectiveness of the Sharing Dance Public School Program over a school year, and when compared to a control group, as was initially intended.

The golden ratio in baseball: the influence of historical eras on winning percentages in major league baseball.

Introduction: The golden section or golden ratio (61.8% or 0.618) is a mathematical phenomenon that appears in art, literature, music and nature with such ubiquity that it is thought to be a fundamental principle of aesthetic organisation. The golden ratio also manifests in sport, particularly as the proportion of wins to losses required to win a Major League Baseball championship. This study extends early work on the golden ratio in baseball by incorporating more than three decades of additional data. Methods: This study involved a historically contextualized examination of how winning percentages have changed across the seven historical eras of modern baseball, including analyses of the relative contribution of offensive and defensive statistics to championship winning teams. Data was extracted from Baseball Reference and included statistics for 398 championship winning teams from both the American and National Leagues between 1901 and 2019. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed for winning percentage with indicators of offensive and defensive performance during each era. Main and interaction effects of Era and League on winning percentage were examined using factorial ANOVA, with follow-up analyses examining whether the golden ratio was included in each factor's 95% confidence interval. Results: Our findings suggest that winning percentages for championship teams were closest to the golden ratio during eras where the relative contribution of offense and defense was most closely balanced: the Integration Era (1942-1960) and the Expansion Era (1961-1976). Discussion: Previous scholarship theorizes that the golden ratio represents an aesthetic ideal or a Gestalt archetype. If this aesthetic theory is applied to sporting competition, these results suggest that baseball may be most aesthetically appealing to fans when offense and defense is balanced in such a way as to ensure that championship teams win 61.8% of their games.

Development and evaluation of the IPLAY program: A protocol for a mixed-methods feasibility study targeting newcomer youth.

BACKGROUND: Physical Literacy (PL) is a synthesis construct that ties together movement competencies with affective, motivational, and knowledge-based elements. It is considered foundational to the development of physical activity-related outcomes. Many diverse organizations and programs have embraced the concept and are implementing programs targeting each of those core elements. However, research has lagged behind its interest and adoption. Among the more prominent gaps is the design and evaluation of programs that aim to increase PL within special populations such as new immigrants or refugee youth. METHODS: The Immigrant-focused Physical Literacy for Youth (IPLAY) program is a co-developed evidence-informed 8-week PL program designed for new immigrant and refugee youths who have recently settled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This study aims to use a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach to collect, analyse, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data in the evaluation and iteration of the IPLAY program. DISCUSSION: PL programs can be used as a tool to build confidence and physical competencies among newcomer youth. Furthermore, academic-community collaborations in the design and delivery of PL programs can help improve the access and interest for PL programs among newcomer youth. These partnerships are critical and timely considering the recent and upcoming waves of immigration to "arrival cities" across Canada.

A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools.

BACKGROUND: Fewer than 17% of children worldwide are meeting the international recommendations for daily physical activity. Since most children are in school for the bulk of their day, the classroom has been identified as an ideal space to incorporate physical activity opportunities. In Ontario (Canada), the Daily Physical Activity (DPA) policy aims to ensure all elementary school children receive a minimum of 20 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity each school day during instructional time. However, a 2015 evaluation found that only half of Ontario teachers were meeting this expectation; this work advocated for additional research to monitor implementation and its predictors and to further identify fidelity recommendations. Thus, the current study investigated contemporary factors influencing DPA fidelity in Ontario elementary schools and provides teacher-identified recommendations to support DPA implementation. METHODS: The first part of the study was a quantitative approach surveying 186 elementary school teachers across Ontario. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and means were used to characterize barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to DPA implementation. Spearman's correlations were used to assess the relation between the likelihood of DPA implementation and intrapersonal factors of gender, teaching experience, prior DPA training and personal physical activity participation. The second part of the study consisted of a qualitative approach using teacher interviews to explore in-depth teachers' recommendations to support DPA implementation. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts and identify recommendations for DPA. RESULTS: Survey results showed that only 23% of teachers met the mandated 20 min of DPA per day. Barriers to implementation included space and time constraints, inadequate training, student behavioural issues and low self-efficacy. Gender, teaching experience and prior DPA training were not related to the likelihood of DPA implementation. Teachers who rated themselves as more physically fit were more likely to implement DPA. Teacher interviews elucidated key areas for improving DPA implementation including greater DPA training opportunities, resources, community partnerships, accountability and strategies that support school-wide implementation. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrated that fidelity to the DPA policy in Ontario elementary schools is on the decline. This work highlights unique factors implicated in DPA fidelity and brings to the forefront teacher recommendations to improve DPA implementation.

Effect of cognitively engaging physical activity on executive functions in children.

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) has been shown to enhance executive functions (EFs) in children, and PA involving a cognitive component may confer additional benefit. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cognitively engaging PA impacts EF, and whether affect and fitness act as either mediators or moderators of this relationship. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was utilized to assess changes in EFs between a 20-min Dual Task (intervention condition), a PA Task (control condition), and a Cognitive Task (control condition). Children were scheduled for two visits in the INfant and Child Health (INCH) Lab at the University of Toronto. Physical fitness was assessed using the 20 m shuttle run, standing long jump, and grip strength tests. EFs were assessed using the Stroop Task, Trail Making Task (TMT), and Forward Working Memory Task (FWMT). Results: 38 children (Mage = 11.95 years, SD = 0.49, 61% female) participated. Repeated measures ANOVA showed main interactions between time on inhibition scores (p < 0.05, η p 2 = 0.489), and positive affect scores (p < 0.01, η p 2 = 0.284). Interaction effects between condition and time were not significant (p = 0.787, η p 2 = 0.014, p = .333, η p 2 = 0.061, p = 0.799, η p 2 = 0.013 for inhibition, switching, and passive working memory, respectively). Results showed no significant mediation effect of affect (95% CI = -0.5915, 2.147), or moderating effect between fitness and EF changes. Conclusion: Possible explanations for these findings include inadequate cognitive engagement, lack of EF transfer, and statistical power. Results suggest any of these interventions may be beneficial for improving inhibition and positive affect in children.

Investigating the mediating role of internalizing and externalizing problems on physical fitness in children at risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have poorer fitness and greater internalizing/externalizing problems compared with typically developing (TD) children. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential mediating role of internalizing/externalizing problems on the relationship between children at risk for DCD (DCDr) and physical fitness. Participants (N = 589) included 288 children with DCDr (Mage = 4.9, 67% male) and 301 TD children (Mage = 5.0, 48% male). Motor skills were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition (DCDr: at or below the 16th percentile, TD: >16th percentile). Parent-reported internalizing/externalizing problems were measured using the Child Behaviour Checklist. Physical fitness was measured using the Bruce protocol maximal treadmill test and a 30-second Wingate test. Tests for indirect (mediation) effects were assessed using the PROCESS v3.5 software macro. Children with DCDr had higher internalizing and externalizing problems (p < 0.001, d = 0.35-0.46) and poorer fitness levels (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.05-0.09). Internalizing problems mediated fitness performance on both the treadmill and Wingate test; however, externalizing problems showed no mediating effects. Thus, interventions targeting internalizing problems may contribute to improving performance on fitness-based tasks among children with DCDr. Novelty: Children at risk for DCD have poorer fitness when compared with TD children. Children at risk for DCD experience greater internalizing/externalizing problems. Internalizing problems were found to mediate the DCD-physical fitness relationship.

Time-of-day effect on motor coordination in youth.

The evaluation of motor coordination is important for diagnosing children and adolescents with motor impairments. However, motor coordination may be affected by time-of-day effects, and thus, the intra-day variation could subsequently influence the assessment accuracy of the standardized test used in the diagnostic process. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted to examine this possibility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the time-of-day effect on motor coordination. A convenience sample of 25 youth (17-21 years) were recruited from local high schools and a local university. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency - Second Edition (Short Form) was administered at three different times (morning, noon, and afternoon) over three days to explore the potential time-of-day effect on motor coordination. The starting time of the test on the first day was counterbalanced. Other factors that could potentially impact motor performance were also measured, including physical activity, chronotype, and time-since-awakening. A statistically significant main effect of time-of-day was found on overall motor coordination (p< .01) and the domain of Manual Coordination (p< .01). The time-of-day effect on the domain of Strength & Agility (p = .055) was just above the threshold of statistical significance. Further analysis showed that overall motor coordination was better at noon (p< .01) and in the afternoon (p= .052) than in the morning, whereas manual coordination was the worst in the morning (p's < .01). Strength and agility were also significantly better at noon than in the morning (p< .01). In addition, poor motor coordination in the morning was also related to longer time-since-awakening. Overall, this study identifies the time-of-day effect on motor coordination that could lead to the inconsistent classification of motor performance. Therefore, in order to avoid the potential misclassification of motor coordination, health professionals should take into account the time-of-day effect on motor coordination and the possible impact of time-since-awakening while administering the assessment in the morning.

Physical Activity in High School Classrooms: A Promising Avenue for Future Research.

Adolescence represents a sensitive period whereby lifestyle factors such as physical activity can have profound, long-lasting effects on development and later life habits. However, adolescence constitutes a period of frequent sedentary behaviour. Among children, integrating physical activity into elementary school classrooms has been shown to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve academic achievement and overall physical and mental health. However, this promising area of research has not extended to adolescents and high school classrooms. In this paper, we describe the benefits of conducting research on the impact of physically active high school classrooms, and highlight the challenges and potential misconceptions associated with research in this field. Specifically, we review research on the role of physical activity in adolescent development, the benefits of classroom-based physical activity for children, and discuss the factors that may have led researchers to focus on classroom-based physical activity primarily for children, despite the potentially similar benefits for adolescents.

Effects of Comorbid Developmental Coordination Disorder and Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on Physical Activity in Children Aged 4-5 Years.

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is often comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While children with DCD engage in less moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to typically developing (TD) children, research pertaining to how ADHD affects this relationship is limited. We investigated the effect of ADHD on MVPA among children at risk for DCD (DCDr). 507 children aged 4-5 years (DCDr = 233, TD = 274) participated. Motor skills were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition (DCDr; ≤ 16th percentile), ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist, and Actigraph accelerometers measured MVPA over seven days. DCD did not negatively affect MVPA, however, after adjusting for ADHD symptoms, the effect of DCD became significant and was driven by symptoms of inattention. Symptoms of ADHD may be suppressing the negative effects of DCD on MVPA, highlighting the importance of assessing and controlling for ADHD symptoms in this population.

Exploring Localized Muscle Fatigue Responses at Current Upper-Extremity Ergonomics Threshold Limit Values.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate localized muscle fatigue responses at three upper-extremity ergonomics threshold limit value (TLV) duty cycles. BACKGROUND: Recently, a TLV equation was published to help mitigate excessive development of localized muscle fatigue in repetitive upper limb tasks. This equation predicts acceptable levels of maximal voluntary contraction (% MVC) for a given duty cycle (DC). Experimental validation of this TLV curve has not yet been reported, which can help guide utilization by practitioners. METHOD: Eighteen participants performed intermittent isometric elbow flexion efforts, in three separate counter-balanced sessions, at workloads defined by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists' (ACGIH) TLV equation: low DC (20% DC, 29.6% MVC), medium DC (40% DC, 19.7% MVC), and high DC (60% DC, 13.9% MVC). Targeted localized muscle fatigue (LMF) of the biceps brachii was tracked across numerous response variables, including decline in strength (MVC), electromyography (EMG) amplitude and mean power frequency (MnPF), and several psychophysical ratings. RESULTS: At task completion, biceps MnPF and MVC (strength) were significantly different between each TLV workload, with the high DC condition eliciting the largest declines in MnPF and MVC. CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate that working at different DCs along the ACGIH TLV curve may not be equivalent in preventing excessive LMF. Higher DC workloads elicited a greater LMF response across several response variables. APPLICATION: High DC work of the upper extremity should be avoided to mitigate excess LMF development. Current TLVs for repetitive upper-extremity work may overestimate acceptable relative contraction thresholds, particularly at higher duty cycles.

The Home Advantage in the National Basketball Association Conference Finals and Finals Series From 1979 to 2019: A Mediation Analysis of Offensive and Defensive Skills.

This study examined the home advantage effect in decisive National Basketball Association Conference Finals and Finals series playoff games from 1979 to 2019 (the 3-point shot era). We also examined the potential contribution of various offensive- and defensive-based skills and whether these skills mediated the relationship between game status (decisive vs. nondecisive) and outcome (win vs. loss). Overall, we found evidence of a home court advantage with the home team winning 63% of the decisive playoff games and 66% of the nondecisive playoff games. After adjusting for multiple comparisons and regular season win percentage, the home team had significantly more defensive rebounds and steals in Game 5 when trailing 3-1 going into that game. Mediation analyses did not reveal any significant findings when examining the impact of decisive game status on performance through offensive and defensive skills, thus suggesting there are other explanations for the home advantage effect.

Examining the Acute Effects of Classroom-Based Physical Activity Breaks on Executive Functioning in 11- to 14-Year-Old Children: Single and Additive Moderation Effects of Physical Fitness.

Objective: Research supports the efficacy of acute, classroom-based, physical activity breaks on executive functioning in children. However, research pertaining to the effect of physical fitness on the acute physical activity-executive functioning relationship remains limited. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of classroom-based, teacher-delivered, physical activity breaks on executive functioning in 11-14-year-old children. We also investigated the potential moderating effects of both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness on the acute physical activity-executive functioning relationship. Method: Participants (N = 116) completed pre- and post-test assessments of executive functioning (i.e., inhibition, switching, and updating) separated by a classroom-based physical activity break or sedentary classroom work. We manipulated the dose (i.e., length) and type of physical activity breaks. With regards to dose, participants in the experimental conditions engaged in 5-, 10-, or 20-min of physical activity whereas controls completed sedentary classroom math work at their desk. With regards to type, one experimental condition completed traditional physical activity breaks whereas the other experimental condition completed academic physical activity breaks (i.e., performed mental math and physical activity). Participants' mood, motivation, and self-efficacy were also assessed following the experimental manipulations. Results: Overall, executive function scores improved across each assessment following the physical activity breaks when compared to sedentary classroom work regardless of dose and type. Participants also reported more positive mood states, higher motivation to complete the executive function tests, and higher self-efficacy to perform the executive functions tests following the physical activity breaks. Single moderation analyses showed that low-moderate levels of aerobic fitness moderated the acute physical activity-executive functioning relationship. Additive moderation analysis showed, collectively, that both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness moderated the acute physical activity-executive functioning relationship. Conclusion: Findings from the present study provide evidence for the acute effects of short (i.e., 5-20 min) classroom-based physical activity breaks on executive functioning and psychological states in children. Results also suggest levels of both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness moderate these effects, however future research is needed to further elucidate this complex relationship.

The Differential Impact of Acute Exercise and Mindfulness Meditation on Executive Functioning and Psycho-Emotional Well-Being in Children and Youth With ADHD.

This study investigated how acute exercise and mindfulness meditation impacts executive functioning and psycho-emotional well-being in 16 children and youth with ADHD aged 10-14 (male = 11; White = 80%). Participants completed three interventions: 10 min of exercise, 10 min of mindfulness meditation, and 10 min of reading (control). Before and after each intervention, executive functioning (inhibitory control, working memory, task-switching) and psycho-emotional well-being (mood, self-efficacy) were assessed. Mindfulness meditation increased performance on all executive functioning tasks whereas the other interventions did not (d = 0.55-0.86). Exercise enhanced positive mood and self-efficacy whereas the other interventions did not (d = 0.22-0.35). This work provides preliminary evidence for how acute exercise and mindfulness meditation can support differential aspects of executive and psycho-emotional functioning among children and youth with ADHD.

Examining the Effects of Acute Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity on Cognition in Children.

Cognitively engaging physical activity (PA) has been suggested to have superior effects on cognition compared to PA with low cognitive demands; however, there have been few studies directly comparing these different types of activities. The aim of this study is to compare the cognitive effects of a combined physically and cognitively engaging bout of PA to a physical or cognitive activity alone in children. Children were randomized in pairs to one of three 20-min conditions: (1) a cognitive sedentary activity; (2) a non-cognitively engaging PA; and a (3) cognitively engaging PA. Executive function (EF) was assessed using a modified Eriksen flanker task immediately before and 10-15 min following the experimental condition. Children ages 6-8 years (n = 48, Mage = 7.04, SD = 1.37; 40% girls) were included in the study. A repeated measures ANOVA found no significant difference between groups with respect to scores on the flanker task. The results do not support the hypotheses that a cognitively engaging bout of PA enhances cognitive performance over non-cognitively engaging PA or sedentary activities. Possible explanations for our findings include overexertion during the acute bout of PA and depletion of positive affect prior to performing the post-intervention EF tasks.

Physical activity and loneliness among adolescents with disabilities: Examining the quality of physical activity experiences as a possible moderator.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with disabilities (AWD) often report higher loneliness levels than adolescents without disabilities, as they frequently encounter barriers to social participation. A negative relationship between physical activity (PA) and loneliness has been established outside of AWD populations, while few studies have examined this association among AWD. Research investigating the relationship between PA and loneliness has not systematically examined aspects of PA experiences that may influence this relationship. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to: a) examine the direct relationship between PA and loneliness among AWD, and b) examine the quality of PA experiences, as framed within a quality participation conceptualization, as a possible moderator of the relationship between PA and loneliness. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional sub-analysis of data from The National Physical Activity Measurement Study. Participants included 40 Canadian adolescents, age 10-17, with any type of disability who completed a series of questionnaires either online or via telephone/video interview. RESULTS: PA and loneliness were not significantly related at the bivariate level (r = -0.10, p = .54), but quality of PA participation significantly moderated the relationship between PA and loneliness (95% C.I. = 0.002-0.019, p = .02). These results suggest that greater PA rates were significantly and negatively associated with loneliness among AWD who reported experiencing high quality PA experiences. CONCLUSIONS: This research can be used as evidence to inform mechanistic studies with causal data to provide more robust findings on the possible value of high-quality PA experiences to mitigate feelings of loneliness among AWD.

Acute Effects of an Afterschool Running and Reading Program on Executive Functioning in Children: An Exploratory Study.

Objective: Emerging research within school settings suggests acute forms of physical activity and exercise lead to improvements in executive functioning among children. However, research pertaining to these effects within the afterschool setting remains limited. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of a community-based afterschool running and reading program on executive functioning in 8 to 12-year-old children. Method: Fifty participants were initially recruited to participate in this study. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection was terminated prematurely which resulted in a sample size of 15 participants. Participants (N = 10) from School 1 completed two batteries of executive function assessments (i.e., inhibition, switching, and updating) separated by 15-min of running or 15-min of sedentary reading. Whereas, only 5 participants from School 2 completed assessments of executive functioning prior to and following the running portion of the program (due to the early termination of data collection). Results: Overall, executive function scores improved across each assessment following the running condition when compared to the reading condition (School 1). Inhibition scores significantly improved, and these effects were very large (School 1). Across both schools, improvements in executive functioning following the running portion of the program ranged from small-large in effect size. Conclusion: Findings from the present study provide initial evidence for the acute effects of a community-based afterschool running and reading program on executive functioning in children. Future research with larger samples in afterschool settings is recommended to replicate this preliminary work.

Perceptions of Ability Mediate the Effect of Motor Coordination on Aerobic and Musculoskeletal Exercise Performance in Young Children at Risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder.

This study examined the effects of perceptions of motor abilities on aerobic and musculoskeletal exercise performance in young children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (rDCD). The participants (N = 539) were part of a larger cohort study, the Coordination and Activity Tracking in Children (CATCH) study. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd Edition) was used to determine rDCD children. Perceptions of motor abilities were measured by the Perceived Efficacy and Goals Setting system. Aerobic exercise performance was measured using the Bruce Protocol treadmill test, and musculoskeletal exercise performance was assessed using the standing long jump and the Wingate Anaerobic test. The rDCD children reported lower Perceived Efficacy and Goals Setting scores and performed worse on all exercise performance measures. Perceptions of ability also mediated the relationship between developmental coordination disorder and each exercise performance test. It is concerning that children with low motor coordination report lower perceptions of ability even at a very young age.

Stopping the Drop: Examining the Impact of a Pilot Physical Literacy-Based Intervention Program on Physical Activity Behaviours and Fitness during the Transition into University.

The move to university is a major life transition associated with precipitous declines in physical activity (PA). While it remains unclear how these declines can be best attenuated, the concept of physical literacy (PL) or enhancements of PL may be a promising modality to promote PA during life transitions. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a pilot PL-based intervention on PA and fitness for students transitioning into university. Participants included 65 first-year students (Mage = 17.85 ± 0.51; n = 46 females), enrolled in a quasi-experimental study. Intervention participants (n = 26) participated in a 12-week novel movement skills program conducted in a group-based environment. Results from the 2 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA found moderate effects in the time by condition interaction F(1,56) = 2.70, p = 0.11, ηp2 = 0.08 for PA behaviors as well as for estimated cardiorespiratory fitness F(1,61) = 8.35, p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.12. Findings from our pilot program suggest that PL may be an effective modality to help first-year university students maintain fitness and attenuate the declines in PA behaviors when transitioning into university. Similar trials with larger samples are required.

Effect of Acute Exercise on Prefrontal Oxygenation and Inhibitory Control Among Male Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study.

Objective: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant challenges in executive functioning. Emerging evidence suggests exercise may improve executive functioning among children; however, these effects and their mechanisms have not been fully explored among children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to explore the acute effect of exercise on cerebral oxygenation within the prefrontal cortex and inhibitory control among male children with ASD. Method: Participants (N = 12) were 8-12 years of age with a diagnosis of ASD. A within-subject crossover design was employed. Participants completed three 20-min conditions on separate days: circuit-based workout, treadmill walking, and sedentary control. Pre- and post- each condition participants completed a cancellation task (Leiter-3) as a measure of inhibitory control and cerebral oxygenation was concurrently assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Heart rate, affect, perceived exertion, motivation, and self-efficacy were measured throughout the experiment as manipulation checks and potential psychological mechanisms. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to examine intervention effects. Results: Results demonstrated medium-to-large interaction effects (time by condition) for cerebral oxygenation ( η p 2 = 0.237) and inhibitory control ( η p 2 = 0.118). Post hoc analyses revealed that the circuit exercise condition elicited the largest changes in both outcomes. The manipulation checks indicated that the exercises were completed as intended. Conclusion: These findings suggest that exercise may be a feasible intervention for enhancing executive functioning in children with ASD. More research with larger samples is needed to replicate these findings.