The Association Between Motor Proficiency and Performing Recreational and Leisure Activities in School for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Performing recreational and leisure activities are an important part of children's school function, including children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between motor proficiency, performing recreational, and leisure activities in school for the children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 52 students with autism spectrum disorder aged 7-12 years old were selected by available sampling method and the students with co morbidity were excluded from the study. Data were collected using a school function assessment (SFA) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-Second Edition (BOTMP-2). Results: The results of Pearson correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant positive linear relationship with moderate strength between performing recreational and leisure activities and components of motor proficiency, including gross motor skills (P = 0.001, r = 0.41), upper limb coordination (P=0.000, r=0.44), and fine motor skills (P = 0.00, r = 0.58). Also, the results of multiple linear regression model indicated that only the fine motor skills as one of the components of motor proficiency had the ability to predict performing recreational and leisure activities(β = 0.5, P = 0.002). Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that there was a relationship between performing recreational, leisure activities, and motor proficiency and the highest correlation was observed with fine motor skills, upper limb coordination, and gross motor skills, respectively. Also, fine motor skills had a moderate predictive ability. Thus, in order to improve student's function in their school, perceptual motor interventions would be an important part of their treatment program.

The Intersection of Gross Motor Abilities and Participation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Our findings that gross motor skills and participation in high-demand leisure activities are related are also consistent with other literature. Difficulties with motor skills may contribute to decreased participation in leisure and recreation activities for children with ASD (Kheirollahzadeh, Alizadeh Zarei, Amini, & Dehghan Tarzhani, 2018; Potvin, Snider, Prelock, Kehayia, & Wood-Dauphinee, 2013). The current study supports that finding by demonstrating that children with greater motor skills participated in more leisure activities than children with fewer motor skills.…”

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Set-Shifting and School Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tehran, Iran (2017 - 2018)

“…Children with ASD have a lot of restrictions in school function, as some of them are unable to study and go to school despite having the appropriate intelligence. The school functions is not limited to academic achievements, such as mathematics, science, spellings, reading, and writing, but rather to the ability of students to carry out daily activities that contribute to their effective function in education and social aspects related to it or support their participation in daily activities include non-educational activities such as the use of books and writing tools, answering the questions of others, asking for help and information when needed, mobility in the classroom and school, meeting personal needs appropriately, and interacting with classmates in learning activities are among functional activities (22)(23)(24).…”