Increasing selection of and engagement in physical activity in children with autism spectrum disorder
A token board gives only a small push for physical play in autism; mixing active and quiet choices keeps kids engaged longer.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Goldman et al. (2022) tested a token board with four children with autism. Kids earned tokens for picking active play, then traded tokens for small toys.
The team also tried two choice menus: only active games, only quiet games, or both together. They watched which menu kept kids moving the most.
What they found
Tokens gave a small lift in physical play for two kids and almost none for the other two. The weak bump faded quickly when tokens stopped.
When both active and quiet games were on the same menu, kids stayed in the area longer and chose active games more often than when only active games were offered.
How this fits with other research
Becerra et al. (2021) got big, fast gains in vigorous play using photo schedules, not tokens. The difference: pictures showed the exact steps, while tokens only rewarded the final choice.
Vergason et al. (2020) showed tokens can work, but their zoo staff were adults who understood the deal. Young kids with autism may need clearer cues than tokens alone.
Crossman et al. (2018) used backward chaining to teach toy play and saw strong jumps. Like Goldman, they built choice into the task, hinting that showing HOW to play matters as much as rewarding the choice.
Why it matters
Tokens alone are unlikely to create lasting exercise habits in autism. Pair tokens with visual schedules or modeled steps for bigger gains. When you set up free-play time, offer active and quiet options side-by-side; the mix keeps kids in the space and bumps up movement without extra prompts.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) engage in reduced levels of physical activity relative to neurotypical children. Researchers conducted 2 studies to 1) evaluate the influence of the number of physical activity options and effort on choice and 2) develop a token-based intervention to increase physical activity engagement and evaluate whether the opportunity to access the intervention supported responding similar to physical or sedentary activity alone. Four children with ASD participated. Additional physical activity options alone did not increase physical activity selection, but increased effort reduced selection of sedentary activity. Tokens increased physical activity for 2 participants. A combination of physical and sedentary activities maintained as much as or more responding than either activity in isolation for all participants. Limitations and potential areas of future research on choice and physical activity are discussed.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2022 · doi:10.1002/jaba.929