عطیه سادات پورسجادی

The present study was an attempt to explore and gauge the effect of gross movement exercises on social skills and stereotyped behaviors of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test post-test format and a control group. Birjandi Children aged ۶ to ۱۵ who suffered from Autism Spectrum Disorder in ۲۰۲۲-۲۰۲۳ constituted the participants of this research study. The sample was comprised of ۲۰ autistic children and selected using a convenience sampling method. As for the pretest, Belini's Social Skills Profile questionnaire (۲۰۰۷) and the revised Repetitive Behaviors Scale questionnaire (۲۰۰) were administered to children's participants. The participants were then randomly assigned to two groups of experimental (۱۰ participants) and control (۱۰ participants). Afterwards, the experimental group received a treatment of nine ۴۵-minute sessions in which training participatory games were used. On the flip side, the control group did not undergo such a treatment. At the end of the treatment, the same sets of questionnaires were again administered to participants' parents as the post-test. The data were then electronically analyzed through an Analysis of Covariance. According to the findings, the gross motor training program has been effective in improving social skills (F=۶.۹۲ and significance level P=۰.۰۱۸). Among the three subscales of social skills, two components of reciprocal social behavior (F=۵.۰۷ and P=۰.۰۳۸) and social participation (F=۱۱.۴۲ and P=۰.۰۰۴) were improved. Also, the evaluation of the impact of the rehabilitation program on stereotyped behaviors showed that stereotyped behaviors (F=۱۳.۳۲ and P=۰.۰۰۱) were effective from the implementation of these programs. And the examination of the six subscales of this variable showed that the four components of stereotyped behavior (F=۷.۶۲ and P=۰.۰۱۳), obsessive behavior (F=۵.۲۳ and P=۰.۰۰۲), restricted behavior (F=۳۷.۰۴۱ and P=۰.۰۰۱), were influenced by the rehabilitation program of gross motor exercises. The results of this research confirmed the effect of gross motor training program on reducing stereotyped behaviors and improving social skills. According to the findings of this research, gross motor exercises can be used as an intervention method to improve social skills and reduce stereotyped behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder.