AUTHOR=Li Hailin , Shi Bijun , Wang Xin , Cao Muqing , Chen Jiajie , Liu Siyu , Zhan Xiaoling , Jin Chengkai , Gui Zhaohuan , Jing Jin , Zhu Yanna 

TITLE=Associations of emotional/behavioral problems with accelerometer-measured sedentary behavior, physical activity and step counts in children with autism spectrum disorder

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.981128

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.981128

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=ABSTRACT
Background: The evidence for associations of sedentary behavior (SB), physical activity (PA) and step counts with emotional/behavioral status was scare in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We aimed to describe accelerometer-measured SB, PA and step counts in children with ASD, and to examine their associations with emotional/behavioral problems after assessing correlations of ASD-associated deficiencies with SB, PA and step counts.
Methods: A total of 93 ASD children, aged 6–9 years, were recruited from the Center for Child and Adolescent Psychology and Behavioral Development of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China. Participants wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. Of the original 93, 78 participants’ accelerometer-measured valid PA were obtained, and the data were shown as time spent in SB, light, moderate, moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous PA, and step counts. Participants’ emotional/behavioral problems were assessed via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and anxiety symptoms were evaluated by the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). ASD-associated deficiencies include restricted repetitive behaviors (Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised), poor social competence (Social Responsiveness Scale Second Edition) and motor development restrictions (Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire).
Results: Of the 78 participants, daily vigorous PA (VPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) averaged 15.62 and 51.95 minutes, respectively. Average daily minutes in VPA were inversely associated with the level of SDQ emotional symptoms (β = –0.060, p = 0.028). Meanwhile, a lower risk of emotional symptoms with a longer daily MVPA minutes was observed (β = –0.033, p = 0.016). Additionly, longer average daily VPA minutes were correlated with lower SCARED somatic/panic (β = –0.007, p = 0.040) and generalized anxiety levels (β = –0.025, p = 0.014). The longer daily MVPA duration was connected with lower SCARED total anxiety levels (β = –0.006, p = 0.029). No significant correlations of ASD-associated deficiencies with SB, PA and step counts were found.
Conclusions: ASD-associated deficiencies showed no correlations with SB, PA and step counts. ASD children with lower levels of emotional symptoms engage more in VPA and MVPA, highlighting the need for longitudinally investigation on the directionality of these associations.