Trial reportInternational journal of environmental research and public health2020
Does Hydrotherapy Impact Behaviours Related to Mental Health and Well-Being for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Randomised Crossover-Controlled Pilot Trial.
Trial report in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Invisible Harms, Visible Benefits? Adverse Event Reporting in Physical Activity Interventions for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Meta-analysis and Critical Appraisal.Sports medicine - open · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of aquatic exercise on symptoms, behaviors, and motor function in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- The effects of aquatic interventions on emotional and behavioral outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Blue health among children, adolescents, and youth psychological well-being: a systematic review of swimming and aquatic therapy for mental health.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Pooled it
- The effect of phosphatidylserine on behavioral problems in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Trial
- Effects of Adapted Aquatic Exercise on Autism-Related Behaviors, Flexibility, and Handgrip Strength in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Balance and Coordination Improvements in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Resulting from a Hydrotherapy Intervention.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Aquatic Interventions to Improve Motor and Social Functioning in Children with ASD: A Systematic Review.Review journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Review
- Aquatic Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Scoping Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Feasibility of Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) as a Framework for Aquatic Activities: A Scoping Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Analysis of salivary steroid hormones in boys with autism spectrum disorder.BMC psychiatry · 2023Article
- Effects of Aquatic Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on Social Competence and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChildren diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are less physically active than typically developing children due to reduced socialisation and delayed gross-motor skills, negatively impacting social, emotional and physical well-being. This study aimed to determine whether hydrotherapy influences behaviours which impact mental health and well-being in children with ASD.
methodsA within-subjects, randomised crossover-controlled pilot trial was used over 8 weeks. Children aged 6-12 years and diagnosed with ASD (n = 8) were randomly allocated to Group 1 (n = 4) or Group 2 (n = 4). All children participated in hydrotherapy intervention from either weeks 1 to 4 or weeks 5 to 8. The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) measured behaviour changes impacting mental health and well-being, administered at weeks 0, 4 and 8.
resultsNo observable differences were found in CBCL subscales between Group 1 or 2 at baseline (week 0). Paired-samples t-tests revealed significant improvements post-intervention: Anxious/Depressed subdomain (p = 0.02) and the Internalising Problems Domain Summary (p = 0.026), with large effect size (d = 1.03 and d = 1.06 respectively). Thought Problems (p = 0.03) and Attention Problems (p = 0.01) both significantly improved post-intervention. The Total Problems score significantly improved post-intervention (p = 0.018) with a large effect size (d = 1.04).
conclusionHydrotherapy may enhance behaviours impacting mental health and well-being of children with ASD and could be considered a beneficial therapy option.
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Registered trials
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.