The Effect of School Games on Motor Skills Development in Children with Autism

Background.Childhood stands out as a pivotal phase in motor development, making it essential to explore interventions that promote motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Objectives.This study investigated the impact of school-based games on motor skill development in children with ASD.Methods.The study included 80 elementary school students, aged 11-12, from which 20 were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=10) or a control group (n=10).Employing a pretest-posttest design, the 8-week intervention consisted of 50-60 minute school-based game sessions, twice weekly.Assessment tools encompassed the Childhood Autism Test, the Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test, and a researcher-designed School Games Checklist.Results.Results revealed significant between-group differences favoring the experimental group (P<0.05) in post-test scores on both gross motor skills (running speed and agility, balance, bilateral coordination, strength) and fine motor skills (reaction time, visual motor control, upper limb speed, and dexterity).Conclusion.The games-based program effectively enhanced motor skills in children with ASD, underlining the importance of tailored movement and sports programs to support their physical, cognitive, and social development.