AUTHOR=Felzer-Kim Isabella Theresa , Hauck Janet Lynn 

TITLE=How Much Instructional Time Is Necessary? Mid-intervention Results of Fundamental Movement Skills Training Within ABA Early Intervention Centers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/integrative-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnint.2020.00024

DOI=10.3389/fnint.2020.00024

ISSN=1662-5145

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background</bold>: The purpose of this study was to explore the question of the minimal amount of instructional time needed to still be effective by assessing the efficacy at mid-intervention of an early fundamental movement skill (FMS) intervention for preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).</p><p><bold>Method</bold>: Fourteen preschoolers participated in this randomized controlled trial daily over 10 weeks (10 h total at mid-intervention). A two-factor mixed MANOVA tested the significance of group*time interactions for two dependent variables: object control and locomotor raw scores on the Test of Gross Motor Development—III.</p><p><bold>Results</bold>: Group*time interactions approached significance with large effect sizes on the vector of both dependent variables and in a univariate fashion on object control scores, but not locomotor scores.</p><p><bold>Conclusions</bold>: These findings hold relevance for physical educators working with young children with ASD, indicating that 10 h of FMS instruction, at least in this form, is not adequate to improve FMS.</p>