| Research purpose:The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of 10 weeks of fun track and field sports on the physical health and executive function of autistic children,and to provide some reference for introducing fun track and field sports into rehabilitation classes for autistic children.Research methods:In this study,14 children with mild to moderate autism who met the inclusion criteria from the Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Rehabilitation Research Center were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group,with 7 people in each group.The exercise time and frequency were the same in the two groups(3 times per week,45 minutes per time,a total of 10 weeks).The experimental group implemented a fun track and field sports intervention program that included running around the pole,cross jumping,and sandbagging accurately;The control group was given sports and health care courses from the original rehabilitation center affiliated hospital.Before and after the experiment,two groups of autistic children were tested for their expression/language/communication skills,social skills,sensory/cognitive abilities,health/physiological behavior,physical health,and executive function.Data processing and analysis were conducted using Excel and SPSS26.0 software.Research results:(1)Before the experiment,there were no significant differences between the two groups in their basic situation and characteristics,degree of autism,body shape,physical fitness test,fine motor,cardiac function,and executive function indicators(P>0.05).(2)There was no significant difference in expression/language/communication in the experimental group(P>0.05).The total scores of social ability,sensory/cognitive ability,and autism degree evaluation were significantly improved compared to those before the intervention(P<0.01),and the health/physiology/behavior were significantly improved(P<0.05);In the control group,there was no significant difference in expression/language/communication and health/physiology/behavior(P>0.05),but social skills were significantly improved(P<0.05),and sensory/cognitive abilities were significantly improved(P<0.01);The social skills,sensory/cognitive abilities,and total scores of the experimental group were significantly improved compared to the control group(P<0.01).(3)The indexes of body shape in the experimental group were significantly lower than those before the intervention(P<0.01);There was no significant difference between the control group and the control group before and after the experiment(P>0.05);After the experiment,there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group(P<0.01).(4)The physical fitness indexes of the experimental group were significantly improved compared to those before the intervention(P<0.01),and the performance of sitting forward flexion was significantly improved(P<0.05);There was no significant difference between the control group and the control group before and after the experiment(P>0.05);After the experiment,there were significant differences in various indicators of physical fitness between the experimental group and the control group(P<0.01).(5)The cardiac function index in the experimental group was significantly improved compared to that before intervention(P<0.01);There was no significant difference in cardiac function index between the control group before and after the experiment(P>0.05);After the experiment,there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group(P<0.01).(6)There was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in each index of fine motion compared to before intervention(P>0.05).(7)In the experimental group,there was no significant difference in working memory compared to before the intervention(P>0.05),while the total scores of inhibition and control ability,cognitive flexibility,and executive function were significantly improved compared to before the intervention(P<0.01),;In the control group,there was no significant change in each index compared to before intervention(P>0.05);After the experiment,there was no significant difference in working memory between the experimental group and the control group(P>0.05),and the total scores of inhibition and control ability,cognitive flexibility,and executive function were significantly improved in the experimental group(P<0.01).Research conclusions:(1)Kid athletics have significantly improved the physical shape,physical fitness,and cardiac function index of autistic children.(2)Kid athletics did not significantly improve the fine motor ability of autistic children.(3)Kid athletics have significantly improved the ability of inhibition and control and cognitive flexibility of autistic children.(4)Kid athletics have significantly improved their social and sensory/cognitive abilities,as well as their health/physical behaviors. |
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