A systematic review of the behavioural outcomes following exercise interventions for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder.
Horseback riding and martial arts programs can deliver moderate-to-large behavioral gains for kids with autism, so consider adding them to treatment plans.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Neuhaus et al. (2016) looked at every paper that tested exercise for kids with autism. They pulled together studies on jogging, horseback riding, martial arts, swimming, yoga and dance. The team asked: do these activities change behavior?
What they found
The review showed moderate-to-large gains. Kids moved more, stimmed less, paid better attention and showed stronger social-emotional skills. Horseback riding and martial arts stood out as top picks.
How this fits with other research
Healy et al. (2018) ran a bigger meta-analysis of 29 studies and found similar gains, giving firmer numbers. Their work updates and strengthens the 2016 review.
Wong et al. (2023) zoomed in on one slice: exercise right before class. They confirmed that a quick bout cuts stereotypy, backing up the 2016 claim.
Pickard et al. (2019) focused only on group sports. They still saw social benefits, but smaller. The message: group formats help, yet one-on-one riding or judo may pack more punch.
Why it matters
You now have a low-cost, side-effect-free tool. Add a 10-minute warm-up jog before table work to cut stims. Slot a weekly horseback riding or judo class into the treatment plan. Track stereotypy, attention and social bids — the review says you should see medium-to-large change within weeks.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The purpose of this review was to systematically search and critically analyse the literature pertaining to behavioural outcomes of exercise interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder aged ⩽16 years. This systematic review employed a comprehensive peer-reviewed search strategy, two-stage screening process and rigorous critical appraisal, which resulted in the inclusion of 13 studies. Results demonstrated that exercise interventions consisting individually of jogging, horseback riding, martial arts, swimming or yoga/dance can result in improvements to numerous behavioural outcomes including stereotypic behaviours, social-emotional functioning, cognition and attention. Horseback riding and martial arts interventions may produce the greatest results with moderate to large effect sizes, respectively. Future research with well-controlled designs, standardized assessments, larger sample sizes and longitudinal follow-ups is necessary, in addition to a greater focus on early childhood (aged 0-5 years) and adolescence (aged 12-16 years), to better understand the extent of the behavioural benefits that exercise may provide these populations.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2016 · doi:10.1177/1362361315616002