Paper Title
EFFECTS OF A 16-WEEK THEORY-BASED TAEKWONDO PROGRAM ON PHYSICAL FITNESS AND BEHAVIORALDEVELOPMENTINCHILDRENWITHAUTISTICSPECTRUMDISORDER:ARANDOMIZEDCONTROLLEDTRIAL

Abstract
Abstract - Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by limitations incommunicationandbehavioralfunctioningwhichaffecttheirdailylife.Previousstudiessuggestedthat martial arts have positive effect on reducing the undesirable behaviors in children with ASDas it emphasizes on stamina and discipline. This study attempted to reveal the effectiveness of a16-week taekwondo training program with its development based on the achievement goal theory.Ontopofthoseelementsinthetraditionaltaekwondotrainingprogram,thetheory-basedinterventionincludedstrategiesthatcouldexplicitlyaddresstheparticipants’effortsandimprovements, such as awarding badges for their accomplishments. 52 participants (aged 7–11）wererecruitedinHongKongandallocatedintotheinterventiongroupandwait-listedcontrolgrouprandomly. Participants in the intervention group engaged in a one-hour taekwondo training for 16weeks to learn the basic skills in taekwondo, such as poomase, self-defense, hand movements andkicking. To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, assessments on physical fitness andbehavioralmeasureswereconductedbyverticaljumptest,Edgrenside-steptest,modifiedsit-and-reachtest,andthebehaviorassessmentchecklistatbaselineandposttest.Nostatisticallysignificantdifference was revealed in all measures when comparing the pretest and posttest in the wait-listedcontrolgroup.Fortheinterventiongroup,participantsachievedsignificantimprovementinallthreephysical fitness measures. Results from the paired sample t-test revealed statistically significantdifferencesinallbehavioralmeasuresintermsoffrequencyandintensity,exceptforthestereotypical behavior. A significant reduction of the frequency and intensity of those undesirablebehaviors such as disobedience, self-injurious behaviors and aggressive behaviors were reportedby the parents or guardians of participants in the taekwondo group after the taekwondo training.Thisstudysuggestedthatthetheory-basedtaekwondotrainingprovidedpositiveeffectsonimproving the physical fitness and behavioral development of children with ASD which could betransferredaspositivefunctioningintheirdailylife. Keywords - Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Taekwondo, Achievement Goal Theory, Physical Fitness,BehavioralDevelopment