Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25400946›Full record

ArticleAutism research and treatment2014

A Randomised Control Trial of the Impact of a Computer-Based Activity Programme upon the Fitness of Children with Autism.

Kathleen Dickinson, Maurice Place

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Autism research and treatment, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
21citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

21 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  3. Social exercise interventions for children who have complex developmental needs: A systematic review.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community · 2025
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  17. Exergames for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview.Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH · 2020
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Kathleen DickinsonSchool of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Coach Lane Campus, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0244-4065
Maurice PlaceSchool of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Coach Lane Campus, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0311-8672

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The poor levels of fitness in children with autism are prompting concern for the children's future health. This study looked to assess if a computer-based activity programme could improve fitness levels (as reflected in cardiopulmonary function) of these children, and achieve a reduction in their body mass index. In a randomised controlled trial, 50 children with autism (of which 33 were under the age of 11 years and 39 were boys) were allocated to an intervention group which encouraged them to use the Nintendo Wii and the software package "Mario and Sonics at the Olympics" in addition to their routine physical education classes. 50 children with autism (34 under the age of 11 years and 40 being boys) acted as controls. At the end of one year, analysis of the changes in scores using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on the Eurofit fitness tests showed that the intervention group had made statistically significant improvement on all tests other than flexibility. These improvements were also significantly better than controls. This type of intervention appears to be an effective addition to standard fitness training in order to help children with autism improve their fitness levels.

Identifiers

PMID25400946
PMCPMC4220566

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.