Examining the impact of physical activity on sleep quality and executive functions in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial
Examining the impact of physical activity on sleep quality and executive functions in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial
Sleep disturbance and executive dysfunction have been widely reported in children with autism spectrum disorder. While the positive impacts of physical activity on sleep quality and cognition are documented in children with typical development, similar studies in children with autism spectrum disorder are scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of physical activity on sleep quality and cognition in children with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 40 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (mean age = 9.95 years) were randomly assigned into two groups: physical activity intervention and control. Four sleep parameters (sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, sleep duration, and wake after sleep onset) and two executive functions (inhibition control and working memory) were assessed. Results revealed a significant improvement in sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, and sleep duration in the intervention group but not in the control group during weekdays. Moreover, a significant improvement in inhibitory control was shown in the intervention group but not in the control group. No significant improvement in working memory capacity was documented in either group (ps > 0.05). Our findings highlight the value of physical activity in improving sleep quality and cognition among children with autism spectrum disorder, but specific physical activity may be required to benefit individual executive functions.
autism spectrum disorder, children, inhibition control, physical activity, sleep, working memory
1699-1710
Tse, Choi Yeung Andy
e0d6b2be-a736-43ac-b03e-d2d58a56e114
Lee, Hong Paul
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Chan, Ka Shing Kevin
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Edgar, Veronica Bordes
bc97ab8b-7e7d-41c7-8668-1996e36e1be1
Wilkinson-Smith, Alison
069d9f99-7aa5-419f-92a7-27c1d77b9643
Lai, Wing Him Elvis
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1 October 2019
Tse, Choi Yeung Andy
e0d6b2be-a736-43ac-b03e-d2d58a56e114
Lee, Hong Paul
02620eab-ae7f-4a1c-bad1-8a50e7e48951
Chan, Ka Shing Kevin
0e8ff99e-57a5-4a94-a840-b2b2237931fc
Edgar, Veronica Bordes
bc97ab8b-7e7d-41c7-8668-1996e36e1be1
Wilkinson-Smith, Alison
069d9f99-7aa5-419f-92a7-27c1d77b9643
Lai, Wing Him Elvis
055fbae1-3302-4285-960a-3a0e1f5cdee2
Tse, Choi Yeung Andy, Lee, Hong Paul, Chan, Ka Shing Kevin, Edgar, Veronica Bordes, Wilkinson-Smith, Alison and Lai, Wing Him Elvis
(2019)
Examining the impact of physical activity on sleep quality and executive functions in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial.
Autism, 23 (7), .
(doi:10.1177/1362361318823910).
Abstract
Sleep disturbance and executive dysfunction have been widely reported in children with autism spectrum disorder. While the positive impacts of physical activity on sleep quality and cognition are documented in children with typical development, similar studies in children with autism spectrum disorder are scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of physical activity on sleep quality and cognition in children with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 40 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (mean age = 9.95 years) were randomly assigned into two groups: physical activity intervention and control. Four sleep parameters (sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, sleep duration, and wake after sleep onset) and two executive functions (inhibition control and working memory) were assessed. Results revealed a significant improvement in sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, and sleep duration in the intervention group but not in the control group during weekdays. Moreover, a significant improvement in inhibitory control was shown in the intervention group but not in the control group. No significant improvement in working memory capacity was documented in either group (ps > 0.05). Our findings highlight the value of physical activity in improving sleep quality and cognition among children with autism spectrum disorder, but specific physical activity may be required to benefit individual executive functions.
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Published date: 1 October 2019
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Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank staff members Mr. Daniel Ling and Ms. Joyce Chan for their assistance in data collection, and student helpers Mr. Lau Man Kit, Mr. Lee Chin Hung, Miss Liu Hok Ling, Mr. Ng Cheuk Sam, Mr. Ng Ping Fun, and Mr. So Fung Yeuk for carrying out the physical activity intervention. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to all the children who participated in this study, and the participants’ teachers and parents for their support. The authors would also like to thank Benjamin Knight, MSc, from Edanz Group (www.edanzediting.com/ac) for editing a draft of this manuscript. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The work described in this article was partially supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. EdUHK 28602517).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
Keywords:
autism spectrum disorder, children, inhibition control, physical activity, sleep, working memory
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Local EPrints ID: 475351
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/475351
ISSN: 1362-3613
PURE UUID: 5612b4b0-dd91-491f-8bce-3125ba1697ca
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Date deposited: 15 Mar 2023 17:49
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:09
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Contributors
Author:
Choi Yeung Andy Tse
Author:
Hong Paul Lee
Author:
Ka Shing Kevin Chan
Author:
Veronica Bordes Edgar
Author:
Alison Wilkinson-Smith
Author:
Wing Him Elvis Lai
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