There are stereotypic behaviors associated with the children who have Autism but the educational institutions and therapists struggle to find ways to reduce it. One of the potential ways that can help cater to this issue is physical exercise because it has shown the potential to reduce stereotypic behaviors. In this study, the researchers conducted 3 meta-analyses on the effects of physical exercise on stereotypic behaviors in individuals with autism. Study 1 produced four aggregate score studies that included nine effect sizes ranging from d = –.85 to .31. Study 1 yielded an overall effect size of d = –.463. The second study produced 6 single-subject design studies that included 48 effect sizes ranging from d = −1 to .5156. Study 2 yielded an overall effect size of d = –.456. Study 3 combined all 10 studies that included effect sizes ranging from d = −1 to .5156. The n = 10 articles combined produced an overall effect size of d = –.456.

The study concluded through its findings that the effect sizes demonstrate that physical exercise does have the potential to decrease stereotypic behaviors in individuals with autism.

Reference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1088357619881220

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