The motor support program (MSP) consists of activities developed by the researchers based on the assessment protocols and designed to promote improvements in children's gross motor skills (such as throwing, jumping, catching, and running) while simultaneously engaging cognitive processes. The program includes dual-task activities that require children to perform motor tasks together with attention, reaction, and decision-making components.

Participants in the control group continued their individual education programs. However, they did not participate in any physiotherapy or motor support programs. Only pre- and post-test measurements were taken.

The motor support program (MSP) was implemented by the first researcher at a special education center for 12 weeks, with two sessions per week, each lasting 60 minutes. A structured and planned intervention program was developed for the first 10 weeks, while an "Activity Choice" approach was applied during the final 2 weeks of the intervention. During this phase, children were presented with various activity options derived from the activities implemented during the first 8 weeks and were encouraged to select and perform these activities. Within each session, at least three different game-based formats were used to target children's gross motor skills and dual-task (motor-cognitive) abilities. In the subsequent weeks, the intervention content was diversified by targeting different game formats.

In this study, the short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Competence Test-2 (BOT-2 SF), which was developed to assess the motor skill levels of individuals aged 4-21 years, was used. The short form used in the study consists of a total of eight subtests and 12 items. These subtests include fine motor accuracy, fine motor integration, manual agility, two-way coordination, balance, running speed and agility, hand-arm coordination and strength. The maximum score that can be obtained in the test is 50. As the total score increases, the level of motor skills increases.

Motor-cognitive skills were assessed using the Fitlight Trainer system. Four LED lights were positioned in front of each participant at 10 cm intervals, with placement adjusted according to the participant's height. The lights were activated in a random sequence. Participants were asked to count aloud from 1 to 10 while simultaneously turning off the illuminated lights by touching them with their foot. Task completion time was recorded via the mobile application connected to the Fitlight system and used to evaluate motor-cognitive performance.

The Adapted Autism Behavior Checklist (A-ABC) is an assessment tool designed to determine the severity of autism spectrum disorder in children based on the level of support they require, in accordance with DSM-5 criteria. The scale was originally developed by Krug, Arick, and Almond in 1980 and was subsequently updated in 1993 and 2008. Total scores obtained from the scale range from 0 to 159, with scores of 68 and above indicating a "high likelihood of autistic disorder" (Eaves & Williams, 2006).

Some items of the scale can be administered to all children, including nonverbal children, whereas additional items are evaluated for verbal children. Based on the scores obtained, the level of impairment associated with autism spectrum disorder and the degree of support required by the child can be determined.