The Effect of Single-and Dual-Task Exercises on Functional Balance of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Maryam Yaghoubi; Parvin Raji; Seyedeh Tahmineh Mousavi; Hajar Mehdizadeh; Saeed  Hadigol; Fatemeh Salmani

doi:10.18502/jimc.v7i4.16625

Maryam Yaghoubi Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Parvin Raji Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyedeh Tahmineh Mousavi Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hajar Mehdizadeh Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Saeed Hadigol Iran Autism Association, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Salmani Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jimc.v7i4.16625

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, Child, Cognition, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Humans, Postural balance, Time and motion studies, Walk test

Abstract

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelop-mental disorder. According to the DSM-V, this condition has a variety of symptoms including impaired social relationships, and behavioral disorders. Various studies have shown that these children also have balance problems that are rarely investigated in this population. The purpose was to investigate the effect of single- and dual-task exercises on the functional balance of these children.

Methods: The study design was a clinical trial research. The participants were 40 children with ASD (9 to 14 years) who were randomly divided into two groups. The single-task exercise group only performed balance exercises, while the dual-task exercises group performed both balance exercises and cognitive tasks at the same time. The sessions consisted of 45-minute sessions (3 times a week for 4 weeks). The functional balance tests were performed before and after the intervention.

Results: There were no significant differences between two groups in the Timed Up and Go test, 10-meter walk test and Mini-BESTest endpoint of the study, but there was a significant difference in Pediatric Berg Balance Scale (p=0.01, effect size=0.82). Dual-task exercises could not cause significant improvements in the functional balance of the participants compared to the single-task group.

Conclusion: It seems that evidence that dual-task exercises cause significant improvements of functional balance of the participants compared to the single-task group is inconclusive.