Background: Active video games(AVGs) encourage whole body movements to interact or control the gaming system, allowing the opportunity for skill development. Children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) show decreased ...Background: Active video games(AVGs) encourage whole body movements to interact or control the gaming system, allowing the opportunity for skill development. Children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) show decreased fundamental movement skills in comparison with their typically developing(TD) peers and might benefit from this approach. This pilot study investigates whether playing sports AVGs can increase the actual and perceived object control(OC) skills of 11 children with ASD aged 6–10 years in comparison to 19 TD children of a similar age.Feasibility was a secondary aim.Methods: Actual(Test of Gross Motor Development) and perceived OC skills(Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children) were assessed before and after the intervention(6 × 45 min).Results: Actual skill scores were not improved in either group. The ASD group improved in perceived skill. All children completed the required dose and parents reported the intervention was feasible.Conclusion: The use of AVGs as a play-based intervention may not provide enough opportunity for children to perform the correct movement patterns to influence skill. However, play of such games may influence perceptions of skill ability in children with ASD, which could improve motivation to participate in physical activities.展开更多
Background: Children spend 70% of the school day sitting in class. Classroom-based active breaks can benefit children's physical health, but if the breaks are cognitively demanding(i.e., combine physical exertion ...Background: Children spend 70% of the school day sitting in class. Classroom-based active breaks can benefit children's physical health, but if the breaks are cognitively demanding(i.e., combine physical exertion and mental engagement), they may also improve focus and cognitive functions. Teachers and students play a crucial role in the successful implementation of active breaks, and their perspectives are critical to the feasibility of these strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing a cognitively challenging motor task as an active break in mainstream and special primary schools.Methods: A total of 5 teachers in 2 mainstream schools and 7 teachers in 1 special school(attended by children with neurodevelopmental disorders) attended a 20-min training on how to implement a 4-min cognitively challenging active break, before conducting a feasibility trial(twice a day for 1 week). To understand individual perceptions, one-on-one semistructured interviews were conducted before and after the trial with teachers, and focus group interviews were conducted with typically developing children after the trial. Questions were based on a predefined framework for feasibility studies. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed in NVivo 11 using a framework approach. A total of 12 teachers(11 females; 7 between 20 and 34 years old) and 34 children(16 girls; 9.3 § 1.7 years, mean § SD) participated in the interviews.Results: In mainstream schools, teachers viewed the cognitively challenging motor task as appropriate and potentially beneficial for children's health and focus. Children reported enjoying the active breaks. Teachers in special schools viewed the task as complex and potentially frustrating for children. In both school types, children's disruptive behavior and lack of time were seen as the main potential barriers to implementation. The use of music, videos, visual cards, and support staff were noted as potential facilitators.Conclusion: The cognitively challenging motor task was a feasible way to interrupt children's sitting time and promote physical activity in mainstream schools, but required changes in special schools. Further research could investigate the effectiveness of these types of task interruptions on children's physical and cognitive health.展开更多
基金supported by an Alfred Deakin Fellowshipsupported by internal university funding
文摘Background: Active video games(AVGs) encourage whole body movements to interact or control the gaming system, allowing the opportunity for skill development. Children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) show decreased fundamental movement skills in comparison with their typically developing(TD) peers and might benefit from this approach. This pilot study investigates whether playing sports AVGs can increase the actual and perceived object control(OC) skills of 11 children with ASD aged 6–10 years in comparison to 19 TD children of a similar age.Feasibility was a secondary aim.Methods: Actual(Test of Gross Motor Development) and perceived OC skills(Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children) were assessed before and after the intervention(6 × 45 min).Results: Actual skill scores were not improved in either group. The ASD group improved in perceived skill. All children completed the required dose and parents reported the intervention was feasible.Conclusion: The use of AVGs as a play-based intervention may not provide enough opportunity for children to perform the correct movement patterns to influence skill. However, play of such games may influence perceptions of skill ability in children with ASD, which could improve motivation to participate in physical activities.
基金supported by the Victorian Government - Department of Education and Training
文摘Background: Children spend 70% of the school day sitting in class. Classroom-based active breaks can benefit children's physical health, but if the breaks are cognitively demanding(i.e., combine physical exertion and mental engagement), they may also improve focus and cognitive functions. Teachers and students play a crucial role in the successful implementation of active breaks, and their perspectives are critical to the feasibility of these strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing a cognitively challenging motor task as an active break in mainstream and special primary schools.Methods: A total of 5 teachers in 2 mainstream schools and 7 teachers in 1 special school(attended by children with neurodevelopmental disorders) attended a 20-min training on how to implement a 4-min cognitively challenging active break, before conducting a feasibility trial(twice a day for 1 week). To understand individual perceptions, one-on-one semistructured interviews were conducted before and after the trial with teachers, and focus group interviews were conducted with typically developing children after the trial. Questions were based on a predefined framework for feasibility studies. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed in NVivo 11 using a framework approach. A total of 12 teachers(11 females; 7 between 20 and 34 years old) and 34 children(16 girls; 9.3 § 1.7 years, mean § SD) participated in the interviews.Results: In mainstream schools, teachers viewed the cognitively challenging motor task as appropriate and potentially beneficial for children's health and focus. Children reported enjoying the active breaks. Teachers in special schools viewed the task as complex and potentially frustrating for children. In both school types, children's disruptive behavior and lack of time were seen as the main potential barriers to implementation. The use of music, videos, visual cards, and support staff were noted as potential facilitators.Conclusion: The cognitively challenging motor task was a feasible way to interrupt children's sitting time and promote physical activity in mainstream schools, but required changes in special schools. Further research could investigate the effectiveness of these types of task interruptions on children's physical and cognitive health.
