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Outdoor program improves social outcomes in autism
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Recent findings indicated efficacy of an outdoor adventure program for autism symptoms among young children.
“Outdoor adventure programs are designed to improve intrapersonal skills and interpersonal relationships by using adventurous activities to provide individual and group problem-solving and challenge tasks,” Ditza A. Zachor MD, of Tel Aviv University, Zerifin, Israel, said in a press release. “The necessary tools for a successful [outdoor adventure program] include establishing individual and group goals, building trust among participants, and providing activities that challenge and evoke stress but are nevertheless enjoyable.”
To determine efficacy of an outdoor adventure program for autism spectrum disorders in children, researchers conducted a controlled study among 51 children enrolled in ASD special education kindergartens. The cohort included 40 males and 11 females, aged 3 to 7 years. Study participants participated in the outdoor adventure program (n = 30) or the control (n = 21) for 13 weeks. The outdoor program included completing challenging physical activities that required cooperation and communication with peers and instructors.
Both groups exhibited significant improvement in social communication, social cognition, motivation and ASD mannerisms.
Participants who completed the outdoor adventure program showed a tendency toward reduction in symptom severity, while the control group showed the opposite (P < .01).
“Our study shows that outdoor adventure activities benefit children with autism and improve their social communication skills,” Zachor said in the release. “We suggest including these fun activities in special education kindergartens and in communication classrooms at school in addition to traditional treatments. Parents of children with ASD can also enroll their kids in afterschool activities based on the principles of our research. It will allow the children to have fun during their leisure time while improving their communication skills.” – by Amanda Oldt
Disclosure: Please see the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.