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ERIC Number: EJ1493083
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1056-263X
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3580
Available Date: 2024-07-13
Association between Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Technology Use in Autistic Adults
Daehyoung Lee1; Donetta J. Cothran2; John M. Kennedy3; Patrick C. Shih4; Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo5; Stephanie Dickinson5; Georgia C. Frey2
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, v37 n5 p779-797 2025
There is little understanding of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior as preventive health behaviors in autistic adults. Technology has been used as an educational and social intervention tool for autistic individuals, yet it is also associated with low PA and high sedentary time (ST) in the neurotypical population. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of self-reported PA and ST and their relationships with various technology uses in autistic adults. We employed a Qualtrics online survey that consisted of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire, and National Alliance for Mental Illness's digital technology use survey. 229 responses (74.6% under 35 years of age; 64.1% males) satisfied the response validity criteria and were included in the analyses. The majority of participants (78%) met the recommended PA amount of [greater than or equal to] 600 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-minutes/week (median, 1,812 total MET-minutes/week), but they were also overly sedentary on both weekdays (median, 8 h/day) and weekends (median, 7 h/day). Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that variance of ST in weekday (45%) and weekend (43%) was largely explained by quality of life ([beta] = -0.31; [beta] = -0.33) and technology use time ([beta] = 0.31; [beta] = 0.26) (all p < 0.01). While technology can be an effective tool to support social and academic abilities in autistic adults, the use of technology devices needs to be monitored with care as it may put these individuals at risk for sedentary lifestyles and associated chronic diseases.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Autism Spectrum Quotient
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of Delaware, Department of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences, Newark, USA; 2Indiana University, Department of Kinesiology, Bloomington, USA; 3Indiana University, Center for Survey Research, Bloomington, USA; 4Indiana University, Department of Informatics, Bloomington, USA; 5Indiana University, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Bloomington, USA