Motivation to participate in structured physical activity for autistic youth: A systematic scoping review.
Michelle L Wong, Sonya Girdler, Bahareh Afsharnejad and 5 others
PMID 38576064WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic youth are less motivated for structured physical activity when they feel incompetent, socially excluded, or overwhelmed by sensory noise.
They participate more when given choices from known activities and explicit instructions. Mainstream group-based approaches often thwart these needs.
Key findings
01Perceived lack of physical skill and difficulty understanding instructions reduce motivation, while explicit rules and direct instructions support a sense of competence.
02Bullying and difficulty adjusting socially to neurotypical peers frustrate relatedness, whereas engaging with friends or having a supportive interpreter improves participation.
03Sensory issues like noise and temperature significantly impact motivation, with participants describing feeling 'lost in the chaos' or physically uncomfortable from heat.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Half of the included studies did not confirm a formal autism diagnosis. Sample sizes were generally small, and no socio-demographic data were provided. The review maps qualitative themes to a theoretical framework, which introduces interpretation bias. Most participants were male, reflecting diagnosis rates but limiting generalizability to autistic girls and women.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and received no financial support for the research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the finding that some youth 'chose not to participate' as simple non-compliance. The review notes this choice was often supported by adults, potentially leading to 'learned exclusion' where the youth avoids the activity because the environment is needs-thwarting, not because they lack motivation for movement itself.