SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2024
Effects of different exercise interventions on executive function in children with autism spectrum disorder: a network meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 7 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.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of exercise on core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- The optimal exercise for improving inhibitory control in children and adolescents with NDDs: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise dose architecture as a precision-informed developmental framework in autism spectrum disorder: a narrative review of mechanisms, sex- and development-related heterogeneity, and clinical translation.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- A network meta-analysis of the effects of different rehabilitation intervention strategies on executive function in children and adolescents.European journal of pediatrics · 2025Pooled it
- Multilevel meta-analysis of the effect of exercise intervention on inhibitory control in children with ASD.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Exploring the impact of different types of exercise on working memory in children with ADHD: a network meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Dose-related effects of acute cycling on executive function in children with autism spectrum disorder: a within-subject repeated-measures study.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Trial
- Preliminary Evidence of Motor Outcomes in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Following Equine-Assisted Therapy and Dual-Task Training: A Pilot Study.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Article
- Physical exercise therapy for autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review of systematic reviews.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Perspectives of parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorders on participation in physical activity: a mixed methods study.International journal of developmental disabilities · 2026Article
- Mini-Basketball for Preschool and School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- A symphony of functioning: Assessing the interplay of cognition, movement, and visual processing in adolescents on the autism spectrum using mobile brain-body imaging (MoBI).Research square · 2025Article
- Article
- Clinical practice guidelines for cognitive impairment in Autism spectrum disorder - Assessment and management.Indian journal of psychiatry · 2025Article
- Enhancing cognitive-motor recovery in Rett syndrome: effects of integrated intervention on neuropsychological and motor outcome.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: A large body of research has identified the positive effects of physical activity on children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the specific benefits of different types of sports on executive functioning in children with ASD remain unclear. The aim of this study was to further analyze the effects of different sports on executive functioning in children with ASD using reticulated meta-analysis and to establish their effectiveness ranking. Methods: This study conducted a comprehensive online search in Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and CNKI databases. It included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies, and synthesized the data using a Bayesian framework. Results: Several relevant studies were included. The results showed that physical activity significantly improved all three dimensions of executive functioning (inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory) in children with ASD. The improvement in cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control both reached a medium effect size. However, the improvement in inhibitory control was better than that in cognitive flexibility, while the improvement in working memory did not reach the level of a medium effect. Mini Basketball was effective in improving inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, but not working memory. Ping Pong was more effective in cognitive flexibility and working memory, but weaker in inhibitory control. Fixed Bicycle was less effective in all three dimensions. Among other interventions, Learning Bicycles, Animal-assisted therapy, and Exergaming performed better in cognitive flexibility. SPARK, Neiyang Gong, and Martial Arts were also effective in improving inhibitory control. However, SPARK and Fixed Bicycle were not significant in improving working memory. Conclusion: Physical activity as an intervention can significantly improve the executive function of children with ASD. The intervention effects of different sports on different dimensions of executive function vary. Mini Basketball was outstanding in improving inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. Ping Pong was effective in improving cognitive flexibility and working memory. Fixed Bicycle was not effective in any dimension.
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