Physical Activity for Autistic Adults: Recommendations for a Shift in Approach

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Hallett, R. (2019). Physical Activity for Autistic Adults: Recommendations for a Shift in Approach. Autism in Adulthood, 1(3), 173-181. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0016

Publication date: 5 Aug 2019 Added to AutiHub: 22 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Rachel Hallett *

Abstract

Physical activity is beneficial for physical and mental health in the general population. Among autistic people, a range of physical and mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety, occur more frequently than in the general population. Physical activity interventions could help improve physical and mental health in autistic adults, but there is a lack of research in the area. The aim of this perspective article is to explore research into physical activity interventions for autistic adults, and identify gaps particularly in need of addressing. This perspective article considers six intervention studies carried out with adults, a pilot study, and seven review studies of adult and child interventions. Studies found significant increases in amount of physical activity undertaken, well-being, interaction, emotion, and regulation. There were decreases in imitative and distress behaviors. However, there were few studies, samples were small, participants all had co-occurring intellectual disability (ID), and measures were heterogeneous with lack of assessment of changes in physical fitness levels. Qualitative exploration was extremely limited. Recommendations are that there should be increased focus on research into physical activity for autistic adults, with input from autistic people to identify enjoyable, accessible activities. There should be particular consideration of longer term, sustainable activities for autistic people both with and without ID. Finally, but of major importance, there should be an increased focus on addressing mental health and anxiety through physical activity.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 28 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
45
With a DOI
38
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
6
2 / 45 (4.4%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
4 / 45 (8.9%)
References with detected author names
45 / 45 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
4
Without a stable identifier
5
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
166
From DOI or external metadata
166
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
29 / 166 (17.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 137 / 166 (82.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
3 / 166 (1.8%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 3 / 29 (10.3%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 3 / 160 (1.9%).
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