Abstract
Context: Disruptions in motor functioning are characteristic of both Autism and Intellectual Disability (ID). Balance training is important for this population due to the risks associated with deficits in postural stability. Purpose: To investigate the impact of a 12-week motor control training intervention on static stability control in adults with Autism and ID (A-ID). Procedures: Eleven participants with A-ID (mean age: 35.6 ± 11.3 years; mean height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m; mean mass: 83.7 ± 19.3 kg; two females) performed 20-second quiet standing trials on a force platform, with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). Testing occurred at the start, mid-point, and end of the intervention, and after 4 weeks of detraining. Medial-lateral and anterior-posterior root-mean-square (RMS) displacement (mm) and velocity (mm/s) of the centre of pressure (COP) and sway area were calculated to assess static balance control. Statistical Analysis: Linear Mixed Modeling with compound symmetry repeated covariance structure was used to test for significant differences at each level of the dependent variables. Results: RMS displacements, velocities and sway areas did not change significantly during or after the 12 weeks of balance training. The group means and standard deviations of all three dependent measures were often lower in the EC condition than the EO condition. Discussion: Repetitive behaviours and distractions may be less problematic in the EC condition, which may partially explain this counterintuitive trend. Future studies should correlate measures of repetitive behaviour with measures of COP in order to more accurately assess balance in this population.Acknowledgments: Beth Anne Currie, Southern Network of Specialized Care