Exercise-Based Interventions Aimed at Improving Balance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. Issue 1 (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Djordjević, Mirjana; Memisevic, Haris; Potic, Srecko; Djuric, Uros
• Is Part Of: Perceptual and motor skills. Volume 129:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 90
• Page End: 119
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder -- balance -- intervention study -- meta-analysis; Perception -- Periodicals; Motor ability -- Periodicals; Motor Skills; Perception; Psychology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 152
• DOI: 10.1177/00315125211060231
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-5125

Abstract

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have deficits in motor skills, especially balance. This article presents a meta-analytic review of 15 intervention studies that aimed to improve balance in children and adolescents with ASD. Across these studies, there were 195 participants with ASD for whom pre-intervention and post-intervention balance scores were available. We measured the standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) between their pre-intervention and post-intervention balance scores and found a large, positive effect from these balance interventions (standardized mean difference—1.82 (95% CI [1.34, 2.29]). Various balance intervention procedures were shown to be very efficacious for children and adolescents with ASD. Clearly, balance is a motor skill that is very susceptible to intervention efforts. We also provided recommendations to researchers regarding what information to include when conducting intervention studies.