Effects of therapeutic recreation on adults with ASD and ID: a preliminary randomized control trial.
A 40-week recreation program that layers executive-function video games onto leisure activities improved EF, social skills, and well-being in adults with ASD and ID.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers ran a 40-week therapeutic recreation program for adults with autism and intellectual disability. Half the group played executive-function video games during recreation. The other half stayed on a wait list.
The games targeted skills like planning, shifting attention, and holding rules in mind. Staff mixed the games into normal recreation activities.
What they found
Adults who got the EF games showed better executive function than the wait-list group. They also gained social skills, adaptive behavior, and reported feeling better about life.
The gains were medium-sized and showed up on both tests and caregiver ratings.
How this fits with other research
Reyes et al. (2019) got similar EF gains in kids using mixed-martial-arts instead of games. Both studies used RCTs and found positive EF change, giving two activity choices for different ages.
Rieth et al. (2022) tested EF computer games in autistic children but found benefits only for kids who also had ADHD traits. That result extends the adult TR-EF idea to kids and flags a key screen: check for ADHD before starting EF games.
de Vries et al. (2018) ran an earlier child EF-training RCT and saw only tiny gains. The new adult recreation model adds fun, longer duration, and social context, superseding the weak child-only approach.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with ASD and ID, you now have a year-long program that blends leisure and science. Add short EF game bursts to day-hab or group-home schedules. Track planning and inhibition each quarter. The same games that boost EF also spill over into social conversation and daily living skills, giving you stacked goals in one activity block.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this research was to examine effects of a therapeutic recreation (TR) program designed to increase executive function (EF), social skills, adaptive behaviours and well-being of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). METHOD: A preliminary pre-test, post-test randomized control group experimental design was used to measure effects of a 40-week TR program designed to increase EF (TR-EF). The TR-EF used instructional electronically based games delivered during 200 1-h sessions (5/week). RESULTS: Participants (experimental group, n = 19; wait-list group, n = 18) were evaluated at baseline and 10 months later. There was a positive and direct impact of the program on several EF and indirect effect on social skills, adaptive behaviour and personal well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide support for inclusion of EF enrichment as a way to enhance effects of TR interventions for adults with ASD and ID. Preliminary results of this study can be considered in planning TR services in the future. In addition to TR-EF program primary effects on EF, there were indirect benefits on adaptive behaviours, personal well-being and social skills.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2017 · doi:10.1111/jir.12320