Asperger syndrome and physical exercise : a study about senso-motor profiles, physical fitness, and the effectiveness of an exercise training program in a group of adolescents with Asperger syndrome

Motor skills of young adults with Asperger syndrome: A comparative study

Motor skill difficulties are mentioned as a common feature of Asperger syndrome (AS) but specific information regarding young adults is scarce. The purposes of this study were: to compare the motor skills of young adults with AS with age and gender matched controls using the updated version of the standardized Movement Assessment battery for children (M-ABC-II), and to compare the motor skills between younger and older participants within both groups (index and control group). Additionally validity and reliability of the M-ABC-II for use with the present population were explored. Young adults with AS performed these motor tasks at a remarkably lower level than their peers. They continued to…

Effectiveness of an exercise training program on youth with Asperger syndrome

Although exercise training programs are effective in improving physical fitness and motor competence in typically developing youth, insufficient data of the impact of interventions are available in youth with Asperger syndrome (AS). The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of an exercise program as part of an ongoing vocational training program for adolescents with AS on motor competence and physical fitness. Twenty adolescents with AS (mean age = 16.8yrs) were enrolled in this study. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent-control-group design with a follow-up measurement over a period of six months was followed. The intervention group received a 12-week physical exercise program f…