Effect of karate training on social, emotional, and executive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behaviour. Previously, multiple interventions were designed to improve social-emotional and executive functioning in children with ASD. However, to date, only a few studies have examined the role of martial arts on social dysfunction and executive functioning deficits in children with ASD. Therefore, this study examined the effects of a 12-week Karate training on social-emotional and executive functioning of children (8-11 years) with ASD. Twenty-eight children were matched into pairs based on age, gender, and autism severity, and randomly allocated into an intervention (n = 14) or waitlist control group (n = 14). The intervention group performed Kata techniques training two times per week (45 min). The intervention included typically-developing children that helped facilitate the social skills, and activities targeted to train specific domains of executive functions, namely behavioural inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. At baseline and after 12 weeks, parents assessed social skills and executive functioning respectively through the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scale and Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function. After 12-week, the intervention group showed greater socio-emotional competence such as communication, cooperation and engagement, better executive functioning ability such as cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control and working memory, and a lower aggressiveness, sadness, anxiety and hyperactivity compared to the control group (p< 0.01; large effect size). Since ASD is a broad economic and societal problem that affects individual, family, and community levels, Karate training should be considered by autism institutions to improve individual well-being and overall health.