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The impact of the physical activity intervention on sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sleep medicine reviews
April 1, 2024
Xiao Liang et al. (7 authors)
Journal ArticleMeta-AnalysisSystematic ReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to synthesize empirical studies on the effects of physical activity interventions on sleep in children and adolescents with ASD, comparing them to pharmacological treatments like melatonin.

Results Summary

The study found that physical activity interventions had a large positive effect on various sleep parameters in children and adolescents with ASD, though melatonin's specific efficacy was not detailed in the abstract.

Population

Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (8)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
melatonin
increase
sleep
children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
-
result in improved sleep
#1
parent-based sleep education programs
increase
sleep
children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
-
result in improved sleep
#2
behavioural interventions
increase
sleep
children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
-
result in improved sleep
#3
Physical activity (PA) intervention
decrease
parent-reported general sleep problems
children and adolescents with ASD
-
had a large positive effect on
#4
Physical activity (PA) intervention
decrease
night awakenings
children and adolescents with ASD
-
had a large positive effect on
#5
Physical activity (PA) intervention
decrease
sleep resistance
children and adolescents with ASD
-
had a large positive effect on
#6
Physical activity (PA) intervention
increase
sleep duration
children and adolescents with ASD
-
had a large positive effect on
#7
Physical activity (PA) intervention
increase
actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency
children and adolescents with ASD
-
had a large positive effect on
#8
Abstract

Pharmacological treatments (i.e., melatonin) and non-pharmacological therapies (e.g., parent-based sleep education programs and behavioural interventions) have been found to result in improved sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are several limitations to these treatment approaches, including concerns about the possible side-effects and safety, high-cost and uncertainties of long-term effects. Physical activity (PA) intervention is a promising behavioural intervention that has received increasing attention. However, the effects of PA intervention on sleep are still unclear in this clinical group. This study aimed to synthesize available empirical studies concerning the effects of PA interventions on sleep in children and adolescents with ASD. Following PRISMA guidelines, seven electronic databases: APA PsychInfo, CINAHL Ultimate, ERIC, MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science, were searched from inception to March 2023. Randomized controlled trials/quasi-experimental designs with comparison groups were included. Initially, 444 articles were identified, 13 articles underwent systematic review, and 8 studies with control groups and sufficient statistical data were selected for meta-analysis. Compared to no-treatment control groups, PA interventions had a large positive effect on parent-reported general sleep problems, night awakenings, sleep resistance, sleep duration and actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency in children and adolescents with ASD.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AdolescentChildHumansAutism Spectrum DisorderExerciseExercise TherapySleepSleep Wake Disorders
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality85/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations7
Citations/Year7.0
Relative Citation Ratio3.48
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score3.05
Normalized Score0.67
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