Improving Executive Function of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Cycling Skill Acquisition.

PURPOSE: Executive dysfunction has been widely reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although studies have clearly documented the cognitive benefits of physical exercise on cognition in children, similar studies in children with ASD are scarce. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of cognitively engaging exercise and noncognitively engaging exercise on executive function in children with ASD. METHODS: Sixty-two children diagnosed with ASD (50 males and 12 females, Mage = 9.89 ± 1.53 yr, Mheight = 1.43 ± 0.15 m, and Mweight = 44.69 ± 11.96 kg) were randomly assigned into three groups: learning to ride a bicycle (n = 22), stationary cycling (n = 20), and control (n = 20). Four executive function components (planning, working memory, flexibility, and inhibition) were assessed. RESULTS: Results revealed significant improvements in all executive function components in the learning to ride a bicycle group (Ps < 0.05) but not in the other two groups after controlling for age and IQ. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the value of cognitive engagement in exercise programs designed to improve cognition in children with ASD.

Investigating the Matching Relationship between Physical Exercise and Stereotypic Behavior in Children with Autism.

PURPOSE: Physical exercise has been shown to be effective in reducing stereotypic behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. One possible mechanism concerns the matching hypothesis between exercise and behavior. The present study sought to examine this matching exercise-behavior relationship. METHODS: Participants (N = 21, 17 males and 4 females, Mage = 11.07 ± 1.44 yr, Mheight = 1.46 ± 0.99 m, and Mweight = 40.60 ± 8.25 kg), with observable forms of hand-flapping and body-rocking stereotypic behaviors, underwent three separate days of conditions, one for the control condition, one for the 10-min ball-tapping exercise condition, and one for the 10-min jogging condition, in a randomized order. The frequency of each type of stereotypic behavior was videotaped from 15 min before to 60 min after the exercise. RESULTS: Results revealed that only hand-flapping stereotypic behaviors were significantly reduced in the ball-tapping exercise condition (P < 0.017), whereas only body-rocking stereotypic behaviors were significantly reduced in the jogging exercise condition (P < 0.017). However, the behavioral benefit diminished at 45 min after the respective exercise. CONCLUSION: Physical exercise should be topographically matched with stereotypic behavior to produce desirable behavioral benefits in children with autism spectrum disorder.