Integrated exercise groups : a physical activity based adaptation of integrated play groups

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence rates in the United States are currently\ud estimated at one child in 50. Naturalistic therapies for individuals with ASD include playbased\ud therapies, such as the integrated play groups (IPG) model, and exercise-based\ud therapies. In this study, I test an exercise-based adaptation of the IPG model in an eight\ud week integrated exercise group consisting of one child with ASD and four typically\ud developing children. Support for the efficacy of the integrated exercise group model was\ud evidenced by the novice player???s increases in sophistication of play, a decrease in\ud stereotyped behaviors, and a reduction in body mass index (BMI) levels, but more\ud research is needed to determine if the integrated exercise group model is associated with\ud improved cardiovascular fitness. Overall, this study demonstrates an effective intervention\ud for children with ASD, and an attractive option for parents in that it addresses multiple\ud limitations common to individuals with ASD