Research in Dance and Physical Activity

Editorial Board and Research Ethics Committee

Research in Dance and Physical Activity - Vol. 6 , No. 2
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[ Article ]
Research in Dance and Physical Activity - Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 19-31
ISSN: 2586-1034 (Online)
Print publication date 31 Aug 2022
Received 26 Jun 2022 Revised 21 Jul 2022 Accepted 04 Aug 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26584/RDPA.2022.08.6.2.19

Parental Support and Concerns About Physical Activities of Their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder During COVID-19
Jihyun Lee1, * ; Hyokju Maneg2 ; Hannah Yang3
1San Jose State University, USA, Associate Professor
2Georgia State University, USA, Ph.D.
3Baekseok University, Republic of Korea, Associate Professor

Correspondence to : *Email address: jihyun.lee@sjsu.edu

Abstract

Parental support is one of the intertwining factors that affect physical activity (PA) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With multiple COVID-19 regulations that have posed many challenges for people participating in their usual social activities, including PA, there is a need to examine parent concerns and support behaviors for PA of children with ASD. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate how the PA support behaviors of parents of children with ASD and COVID-19 concerns about their children’s PA participation changed during the pandemic and how these variables are correlated with other variables, such as their children’s demographic and PA related variables. Parents (n = 253) of children with ASD aged 10–17 years old completed an online survey that queried their children’s demographic information, parent PA support behaviors, parent and child PA, COVID-19 concerns about their children’s PA participation, and the perceived importance of their children’s PA. The results showed that parents’ COVID-19 concerns for their children participating in PA significantly correlated to the severity of their children’s ASD. Parents who identified as more physically active and perceived their children’s PA participation as more important tended to show higher COVID-19-related concerns. In addition, higher COVID-19 concerns among parents negatively correlated with their children’s PA variables. Parent PA support behaviors showed a significant reduction during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Overall, the findings suggest that it is important to provide parents with information on safe PA participation and resources to promote their children’s PA.

Keywords: parental support behaviors, physical activity, autism, children, COVID-19 pandemic
Acknowledgments

None. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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