Effects of motor stimulation on motor performance and executive functions of autistic adolescents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36453/cefe.2026.37310Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Motor Performance, Executive FunctionsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and interaction, as well as motor and cognitive deficits. Motor stimulation has been used as a strategy to promote the development of these abilities.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the motor performance and executive functions of adolescents with ASD before and after a motor stimulation program, as well as to investigate the correlation between these variables.
METHODS: Four adolescents with ASD, aged 12 to 16 years, participated in the study and underwent a six-month motor stimulation program. Motor performance was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition (MABC-2), and executive functions were assessed using the Trail Making Test. Data distribution was verified using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Comparisons between pre- and post-intervention assessments were performed using the paired Student's t-test, and the association between variables was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, adopting a significance level of 5%.
RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the pre- and post-test assessments for motor performance (t=−2.19; p=0.11) or executive functions (t=−1.62; p=0.20). However, individual improvements were observed, particularly in balance tasks. In addition, a significant, strong, and positive correlation was identified between motor performance and executive functions in the post-test (r=0.86; p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The findings suggest an association between motor performance and executive functions in adolescents with ASD. However, the absence of statistically significant differences between assessment periods and the small sample size indicate that the results should be interpreted with caution. Further studies with larger samples and more robust methodological designs are needed to strengthen the evidence regarding this relationship.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Samira Oliveira Santiago, Flávia Batalha Gomes Costa, Lidiane Aparecida Fernandes, Priscila de Mendonça Silva, Suziane Peixoto dos Santos
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