Three commonly studied predictors of physical activity (PA) in youth without disabilities are age, parent PA and support, and time spent in sedentary activities. These factors may also affect PA in youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but the impact of disability on these determinants in this population should be considered before conclusions are drawn. PURPOSE: To examine age, parent PA and support, and sedentary pursuits as PA determinants in youth with ASD. METHODS: Parents (mothers, n = 26; fathers, n = 24) and youth (n = 30, mean ages = 13.2 and SD = 2.1) wore a uniaxial accelerometer during waking hours for 7 consecutive days. Parents also completed a PA support scale. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to evaluate correlations and predictors of youth PA. Significance was set at p < .05. RESULTS: Only 33% of mothers (n = 9) and 64% of fathers (n = 16) accumulated at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA each day. Youth age had the highest partial correlation and was significant in the regression models, explaining 30% and 44% of the variance in youth overall PA (F(3, 21) = 7.37, p < .01) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (F(1, 28) = 23.69, p < .01), respectively. Sedentary pursuits explained an additional 13% of the variance in overall PA after accounting for age and parent PA and support, and significantly contributed to the regression model (F(3, 21) = 7.37, p < .01). Father PA levels explained an additional 6 % of the variance in youth PA after accounting for youth age, but did not significantly contribute to the explained variance, and parent support and mother PA were not associated with youth PA. CONCLUSIONS: Youth with ASD experience similar PA determinants as peers without disabilities, but the context of these influences may be different. In particular, this population is encouraged to engage in video technology as both a viable leisure outlet and treatment modality for the disability and this contributes to sedentary behavior. These data suggest that PA interventions should be focused on decreasing sedentary pursuits for youth with ASD.
Supported by the AAU-Updyke-Willett Kinesiology Research Grant.