Understanding one's body and movements from the perspective of young adults with autism: A mixed-methods study.
Pair BOT-2 with a short body-awareness interview to see the full motor story in autistic adults.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Ingrid et al. (2018) asked autistic young adults how they feel about their bodies and movements.
The team mixed two tools: the BOT-2 motor test and the BAS MQ-E body-awareness interview.
They let the adults talk, then looked for patterns between test scores and personal stories.
What they found
Better movement scores matched calmer body stories and useful daily tricks.
Low scores came with clashing feelings: "My body ignores me" or "I move too much."
The two tests together caught these splits better than either one alone.
How this fits with other research
Patton et al. (2020) also tested autistic adults, but for mind-reading, not movement. They found trouble reading others no matter the age. Ingrid shows body-reading is shaky too, so screen both areas.
Anderson (2023) asked autistic adults about past ABA. All seven called it harmful. Ingrid did not judge therapy; it just mapped body feelings. The studies agree on one point: listen to adult voices first.
Tiede et al. (2019) and Han et al. (2025) pooled kid studies and say naturalistic or ABA play helps preschool language. Ingrid shifts the lens up to young adults and says check body awareness before picking any motor or social plan.
Together the papers draw a line: assess body, mind, and personal view, then choose supports, no matter the age.
Why it matters
If an adult client seems clumsy or avoids gym tasks, run BOT-2 and add a quick body-talk interview like BAS MQ-E. The numbers plus their words will tell you if the issue is skill, sensory, or both. Match goals to what they say works, not just to what the score says they lack.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: There are but a few studies of how persons with autism perceive their bodies and movements. Difficulties in perceiving the surrounding world along with disturbed motor coordination and executive functions may affect physical and psychological development. AIMS: To explore the experiences of body and movements in young adults with autism and how two physiotherapeutic instruments may capture these experiences. PROCEDURES: Eleven young adults (16-22 years) with autism were interviewed and assessed using Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT2) and Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality and Experience (BAS MQ-E). Following a mixed- methods design, the interviews were deductively analyzed and conceptually integrated to the results of the two assessments. RESULTS: Experiencing conflicting feelings about their bodies/movements, led to low understanding of themselves. The assessments captured these experiences relatively well, presenting both movement quality and quantity. Positive experiences and better movement quality related to having access to more functional daily strategies. CONCLUSION: Combining motor proficiency and body awareness assessments was optimal to understand the participants' experiences. IMPLICATIONS: To capture body and movement functions in persons with autism in this standardized manner will lead to improved and reliable diagnoses, tailored interventions, increased body awareness and activity, and enhanced quality of life.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2018 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2018.05.002