Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Feasibility Of Taekwondo For Addressing Social Interaction And Social Participation In Children, Mariel Calinog, Julie D. Kugel, Dragana Krpalek, Arezou Salamat

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience physical, social, and emotional barriers that impact participation in extracurricular activities, such as taekwondo. Engaging in taekwondo may provide opportunities for advancing social abilities as well as developing health-promoting behaviors and routines. Therefore, the purpose of this feasibility study was to explore the effectiveness of using a form of martial arts, taekwondo, as an intervention to promote social participation in everyday life.

Method: A mixed-methods design was used. Three children between 7 and 8 years of age who met the ASD criteria participated in a 7-week taekwondo program. The …

Weighted Blankets And Sleep Quality In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single-Subject Design, Bryan M. Gee, Victoria Scharp, Amy Williams

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Purpose: The purpose of the single-subject study was to explore the possible relationship between weighted blanket applications and sleep quality in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and behavioral manifestations of sensory processing deficits.

Method: Two 4-year-old participants diagnosed with ASD who also experienced sleep disturbances took part in a single-subject design study. Objective sleep measures and caregiver surveys were tracked for a baseline period of 7 days followed by a 14-day weighted blanket intervention and a 7-day withdrawal phase.

Results: Caregiver reports and objective data were evaluated using visual analysis and the percentage of non-overlapping data …