Author(s) :

Felix Kong.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) tend to be more socially avoidant and emotionally dysregulated. Combined with their more sedentary lifestyle, these factors contribute to their higher rates of loneliness and lower quality of life. Physical activity intervention (PAI) is increasingly used to address these deficits. However, research comparing characteristics of PAI, such as group versus individual setting, remains limited. The review investigates and compares the behavioral and emotional outcomes of individual- and group-based PAI for youth with ASD. A systematic review across PubMed and ScienceDirect was used to identify relevant studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, 326 studies were assessed for potential eligibility, and 11 studies written in English from 2005 to 2025 were extracted to be analyzed. Findings show that group- PAI consistently improved pattern-based behaviors, mood stability and reactivity, while individual PAI more consistently improved arousal control behaviors. Group PAI was found to more consistently improve overall behavioral and emotional outcomes than individual PAI does. Furthermore, longer duration and higher complexity were associated with group PAI, which could explain these findings. Future research can investigate the independent influences of these specific PAI characteristics on outcomes to pinpoint how they can be optimized in a PAI setting.