Effect of a 10 month treadmill walking program on maladaptive and self-stimulatory behaviors of adolescents and young adults with autism
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Citation
Ulrich Rebecca J. & Pitetti, Kenneth H. (2007). Effect of a 10 month treadmill walking program on maladaptive and self-stimulatory behaviors of adolescents and young adults with autism. (2007). In Proceedings : 3rd Annual Symposium : Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects. Wichita, KS : Wichita State University, p.115-116
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 10-month treadmill walking program (TWP) on target maladaptive behaviors (TB) in adolescents and young adults with autism. Five youth (3 males, 2 females; 16.6+1.7 yrs) with a primary diagnosis of autism, participated in this study. Participants were involved in a 10-month TWP (10-25 min sessions; speed 3.3-7.0 km•hr-1, grades 0-2.5%) that was incorporated into their regular physical educational curriculum 3-5 times per week. Three significant TB were monitored 24 hours per day and each behavior was recorded using a tally system. A singlesubject quasi-experimental ABÁ research design was used to determine outcomes. In this design, phase A represented 2-month baseline stage in which behavior data was collected but no treadmill walking was preformed, followed by a 10-month treadmill walking program (phase B) and another 2-month baseline stage (phase A’́). Four of the five participants demonstrated a reduction in TB during phase B when compared to other phases. Results of this study indicate that the exercise program used in this study could positively affect the behavioral goals in youth with autism.