Psychological and Motor Benefits of Recreational Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study investigated the effectiveness of a structured recreational training program in enhancing psychological well-being and reducing prevalent motor behaviors among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An experimental pre-test/post-test design was applied to a purposive sample of eight children with ASD (aged 6–12 years) enrolled at the Jude Institute for Special Education. The intervention spanned eight weeks, with three training sessions per week, and was evaluated through both caregiver-reported psychological assessments and systematic video-based observation of motor behaviors. Ten caregivers participated in the evaluation process using stand-ardized pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Motor behaviors were quantified from surveillance recordings, focusing on the frequency of specific actions. Statistical analysis using paired-samples t-tests revealed significant reductions in aggressive and irrational behaviors, alongside marked improvements in social communication. Like-wise, repetitive motor patterns—including spinning, hand flapping, clapping, rocking, foot tapping, noise-triggered ear covering, and inappropriate object use—showed sub-stantial declines. These findings highlight the potential of recreational training as a vi-able, non-invasive approach to improving socio-emotional and motor outcomes in children with ASD. Incorporating such programs into rehabilitation frameworks within special education contexts could offer meaningful support for the holistic de-velopment of this population.