Instruments to assess motor skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder between 5 and 12 years old: Systematic Review

Abstract

Physical activity is a determining element in the integral development of the population. In general, students with ASD are physically inactive consequently, among other things, of existing motor deficits, which ends up impairing their psychomotor development. The objective of this systematic review is to identify and analyze the main instruments used to assess motor skills in boys and girls between five and 12 years old diagnosed with ASD. Articles published between 2015 and 2020, available in five electronic databases: PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and PubMed, have been reviewed, following the guidelines of the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews PRISMA methodology. After applying the search method and the determined inclusion criteria, a total of 10 documents were analyzed in detail, in which it’s reflected that the instruments most used to evaluate the motor behavior of boys and girls with autism have been batteries or test, being the MABC-2 Battery the most complete among those that could best be adapted for use in the school context. The development of pictograms is suggested to facilitate the understanding of the tests by boys and girls with ASD. It’s important to improve their motor skills to facilitate physical-sporting practice, so it’s essential to study in depth the methods to assess their motor level as a starting point and follow-up to implement effective interventions for this population in the school environment.