Physical Activity Among Adults With Autism: Participation, Attitudes, and Barriers

Abstract

Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown have low levels of physical fitness, increasing risks for health-related problems associated with inactivity, such as being overweight, when compared with typically developing children. Few studies have examined physical activity (PA) among adults with ASD. This U.S.-based study examined participation in and attitudes and barriers toward PA among adults with ASD and their peers without ASD. We used standardized existing scales to survey participants for data regarding their frequency of engagement in weekly PA (strenuous, moderate, light), attitudes toward PA, expectations of others, perceived behavioral control, intention toward PA, and perceived PA barriers. Findings indicated that, on average, the ASD group compared with the comparison group reported (a) less frequent strenuous or moderate PA, (b) less positive attitudes toward PA, (c) less perceived behavioral control or ease of performing PA, and (d) more PA barriers. There was also evidence that the ASD group reported less PA intent, but there was no difference between groups regarding beliefs about others’ PA expectations for them. These findings suggest a need for more PA for adults with ASD, particularly because PA has potential to attenuate such ASD challenges as anxiety, stress, and sleeping difficulties.

Beneficial Use and Potential Effectiveness of Physical Activity in Managing Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…The patent health benefits of PA are also applicable to children with ASD. However, PA levels in children with ASD are lower than their typically developing (TD) counterparts (Macdonald et al, 2011;Hillier et al, 2020). This may be attributed to poor motor coordination and balance, often associated with ASD (Ghaziuddin and Butler, 1998;Green et al, 2009).…”

“…This review discusses the benefit Physical Activity has on individuals with ASD and its potential effectiveness when employed as a tool to manage ASD. There is a paucity of studies that have examined PA among adults with ASD (Hillier et al, 2020), therefore the focal area of attention here is children and adolescents with ASD.…”

“Just Invite Us”: Autistic Adults' Recommendations for Developing More Accessible Physical Activity Opportunities

“…A utistic adults are reported to engage in lower levels of physical activity (PA) than nonautistic peers. 1 Addressing physical inactivity among autistic adults is an urgent public health need as PA is a key modifiable risk factor for a host of health issues that are more prevalent among autistic populations, including obesity, 2 hypertension, 3 and depression, anxiety, as well as other psychiatric issues. 4 Moreover, PA is noted to have significant additional benefits for this population; a 2018 meta-analysis 2 examined 29 studies to determine the effect of PA interventions on autistic individuals.…”

“…Data suggest that autistic adults engage in less PA [5][6][7] and experience more PA barriers than neurotypical adults. 1 For example, Hillier et al 1 surveyed 30 young autistic adults and a comparison sample of 30 neurotypical adults demonstrating that autistic adults engage in less strenuous PA, had more negative attitudes toward PA, perceived there were more barriers to engage in PA, and had a harder time engaging in PA than the nonautistic comparison group. No differences were found between groups about PA expectations or beliefs, although the autistic group reported less intent to perform PA. To support the PA participation of autistic individuals, a first-hand understanding of their ex-periences in PA and their recommendations for improving these experiences is much needed.…”

Less Illusion of a Just World in People with Formally Diagnosed Autism and Higher Autistic Traits

“…Receiving unwanted, harmful treatment from the social environment (e.g., Maïano et al 2016 ) should also increase an external relative to an internal locus of control. In addition, Hillier et al ( 2020 ) argued that autistic people perceive their control options as relatively low due to negative stigmatization factors; namely, they are more likely to receive negative signals regarding their right to make choices and control situations around them. Even though not all autistic people and people high in autistic traits may have such negative experiences, one can expect them to exhibit, on average, an elevated external locus of control.…”