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Physical Activity Intervention on Gross Motor and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors, affecting approximately 1 in 31 children in the United States. Children with ASD frequently demonstrate gross motor impairments and social skill deficits that compromise daily functioning and peer participation. Physical activity interventions have emerged as a promising non-pharmacological approach; however, no systematic review has focused simultaneously on both outcomes using exclusively RCT evidence from the past decade. Purpose: To systematically review and synthesize RCT evidence on the effects of physical activity interventions on (1) gross motor skills and (2) social skills in children and adolescents with ASD aged 0-18 years. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science for RCTs published 2016-2026 in English. The review followed JBI methodology and PRISMA 2020 reporting standards. Quality assessment used the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool, and narrative synthesis followed the SWiM guideline. Results: From 367 identified records, 275 remained after deduplication. After two-stage screening, 64 RCTs were included. Intervention types comprised general physical activity (n=16), dance/movement therapy (n=8), sport-based programs (n=8), exergaming/VR (n=6), aquatic therapy (n=5), yoga (n=4), equine therapy (n=4), and fundamental movement skills (n=4). Gross motor outcomes improved in 43 studies (67.2%) and social skill outcomes in 34 studies (53.1%). Risk of bias was "some concerns" in 30 studies (46.9%) and "high" in 34 studies (53.1%). Conclusion: Physical activity interventions demonstrate positive effects on both gross motor and social skills in children with ASD. Aquatic therapy showed the most consistent gross motor improvements, while equine therapy and martial arts demonstrated the strongest social outcomes. Interventions of ≥3 sessions/week over ≥8 weeks yielded the largest effects. Findings support integration of structured physical activity into multidisciplinary pediatric care for ASD. Osf Registration Doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/KV9SM.

Source: Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare

DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s614085