Effect of an 8-Week Pickleball Program for Adults With Autism: A Feasibility Trial With a Delayed-Control Design
Trial Parameters
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an 8-week, community-based pickleball program can improve sensory-motor function and reduce the severity of core autism symptoms in adults ages 18-45 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who can participate independently without a caregiver. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does participating in the pickleball program improve sensory-motor function (including visual-motor integration and proprioceptive bias), measured using the HaptiKart task and a pickleball skill assessment? 2. Does participating in the pickleball program reduce core autism symptom severity, measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd edition (SRS-2)? Researchers will compare an early-start pickleball group to a delayed-start control group (who continues usual activities at first) to see if the pickleball program leads to greater improvements in sensory-motor outcomes and ASD symptom severity. Participants will: * Complete an in-person baseline visit at a local public library to provide written consent, complete surveys (SRS-2, PROMIS Depression and Sleep measures, and WHOQOL-BREF), and complete a video game-based sensory-motor assessment (HaptiKart). * Be randomly assigned to either start pickleball classes immediately or after an initial delay period. * Attend pickleball classes twice per week for 8 weeks (90 minutes per class; 16 sessions total), led by trained instructors at community indoor court facilities. * Continue their usual activities during periods when they are not assigned to pickleball classes. * Complete a brief pickleball skill assessment during the intervention period at their first and last class. * Complete follow-up assessments after each phase of the study to repeat surveys and sensory-motor testing. * Participants will also wear a small activity monitor (ActiGraph) during pickleball sessions to measure in-class physical activity levels, and complete brief online check-ins about safety/injury and program feedback during the intervention period.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18-45 years * Clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) * Able to participate in group-based activities without caregiver support * Able to understand English and independently communicate without assistance * Available for at least two sessions per week for the intervention dates * Access to reliable transportation to the intervention site * Able to provide informed consent (i.e., no legally authorized representative) * Pre-exercise screening indicates medical clearance is not needed, based on ACSM guidelines Exclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of intellectual disability (ID) * Does not have normal or corrected-to-normal vision * Actively participating in a racquet sport ≥1 time per week * Use of mobility aids * Moderate-to-severe joint pain (WOMAC pain subscale) * Neurologic conditions (cerebral palsy, severe head injury, progressive neurological disorders, epilepsy) * Individuals who cannot provide their own informed consent (i.e., have a l