End of Year Project
Summary
Project Title: Effects of Exercise on Self Stimming Behavior in Individuals with Autism: A Systematic Review
For the end of year project, I will be writing a systematic review that is searching to find the effects of exercise on self-stimming behavior in individuals with autism. Self-stimming behavior is a common characteristic of individuals with autism that can consist of rocking back and forth, hand flapping, and other repetitive physical movement. It can have a negative effect on the individuals on task behavior and social acceptance. There is anecdotal evidence that exercise can be used as an intervention to decrease these stereotyped behaviors, but there is no clear conclusion. Through this systematic review, I would like to definitively determine if exercise can be used as an intervention to decrease self-stimulation in individuals with autism, and if there is a preferred type of exercise.
Why Am I Doing This?
A big part of my internship has been reviewing research articles so that I can gain a better understanding about the purpose of this project. Doing this has sparked an even bigger interest in the field of autism. As an exercise science major, I am also interested overall health through movement. After conducting an initial literature review, there is evidence to support the statement that exercise and physical activity can be used to decrease self-stimming behaviors (a common characteristic for individuals with autism). This has encouraged me to write this systematic review to see if I can find a correlation.Â