An exploration of a physical activity intervention in a community fitness setting for adolescents with autism

Bassette et al. (2023) worked with four teens with autism in a public gym. They taught the teens to pick exercises, set reps, and check off sets on a laminated card.

The team used a self-management package: picture task analysis, self-monitoring, and a 5-minute Zoom review each week. They tracked if the teens started, finished, and varied workouts without adult prompts.

All four teens learned to run their own 30-minute circuit. Three kept the skill 8 weeks later with almost no coaching.

Switching to new machines was harder. Two teens needed extra teaching when the gym layout changed.

Hume et al. (2009) already showed that self-monitoring builds independence in autism. Bassette moves that idea from classrooms into real-world fitness centers.

Heald et al. (2020) used an 8-week judo class and saw small MVPA gains. Bassette’s self-management approach gives the teen control every day, not just during a set class.

Michaud et al. (2025) scoping review lists 95 facilitators for active living. Bassette’s card-based system hits three of the top ones: clear structure, choice, and visual cues.

Most teens with autism drop out of sports. A simple self-management card lets them walk into any gym and work out without a shadow. You can make the card in 10 minutes, teach it in one session, and fade prompts fast. Try it Monday: hand your learner a dry-erase workout card and let them run the show.