Feasibility and Acceptability of a Co-produced Intervention to Improve Physical Activity and Motor Competence Amongst Children With Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder: Movement Matters

Movement Matters: Feasibility of a Pilot Intervention to Improve Physical Activity and Motor Competence Amongst Children With Intellectual Disabilities

The goal of this observational study is to find out whether an intervention designed to improve physical activity levels and movement skills is practical and acceptable for children aged 7-11 years with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder.

The intervention will be designed with input from people with lived experience, including professionals working in schools, physical education, sport, health services, and charities, as well as parents and families. The study will explore whether this type of intervention can be realistically delivered in special educational needs schools as part of their usual day-to-day activities.

The main question the study aims to answer is:

• Is an intervention to improve physical activity and motor skills feasible and acceptable for special educational needs schools?

Participating schools will implement the intervention for six weeks. Several outcomes related to feasibility and acceptability will be measured to understand how well the intervention works in a school setting.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 7 to 11 years
• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) statement indicating a primary diagnosis of intellectual disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Independently ambulatory (able to walk without physical assistance) to allow completion of the motor skill testing protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children younger than 7 years or older than 11 years
• No Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) statement indicating a primary diagnosis of intellectual disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Not independently ambulatory and therefore unable to complete the motor skill testing protocol