SPED 414

Annotated Bibliography
References

Purpose

Participants

Settings

Outcome
Variable(
s)

Nicholson, H.,
Kehle, T. J.,
Bray, M. A. , &
Heest, J. V.
(2011). The
effects of
antecedent
physical activity
on the academic
engagement of
children with
autism spectrum
disorder.
Psychology in
the Schools, 48,
198213. doi:
10.1002/pits.205
37

The purpose of
this study was
examine the
impact of
antecedent
physical
activity on
academic
engagement of
students with
high
functioning
ASD1

The
participants
consisted of
four 9-year-old
boys in third
grade. All four
participants
had a diagnosis
of ASD. These
individuals had
higher levels
of cognitive
functioning
and did not
engage in
disruptive selfstimulatory
behaviors.

Public
school
elementary.
Antecedent
exercise was
conducted in
the school
gym and
academic
sessions
were
conducted in
the students
classroom.

The
dependent
variable
was
academic
engaged
time as
defined by
individual
ly timing
each
participant
.

Neely, L.,
Rispoli, M.,
Gerow, S., &
Ninci, J. (2015).
Effects of
Antecedent
Exercise on

The purpose of
this study was
to evaluate the
effects of
antecedent
physical
exercise

The
participants
were two
individuals
with ASD who
engaged in
motor

All
instructional
sessions
were held in
a 3X4 m
classroom
within a

The
dependent
variable
was
stereotypy
and

Intervention or
Procedure

Results

Implications for
Teachers

The intervention
consisted of jogging for
20 minutes. The students
were allowed to walk as
needed. The
paraprofessional and/or
gym teacher were able to
jog along for support and
encouragement.

There was
increased academic
engagement for
students
participating in
intervention. There
was also a
correlation between
level of
participation in
physical activity
and increases in
academic
engagement.

This article has

shown that
antecedent physical
activity (jogging)
had a positive
impact on academic
engagement.
Teachers can use
this information to
help plan academic
activities around
exercise breaks.
For example:
centers stations
should not be
scheduled after
recess or PE.
Instead, those times
could be better
spent by
completing math or
reading lessons
which capitalize on
the students'
increased academic
engagement.
In order to increase
academic
engagement and
decrease
stereotypy, teachers
should allow
students to engage

Phase 1:
Researchers identified
individual behaviors that
indicated satiation of
jumping on the
trampoline The indicator

Stereotypy was
greatly reduced
following physical
exercise until
satiation for both
participants.
Academic

Academic
Engagement and
Stereotypy
During
Instruction.
Behavior
Modification,
39, 98-116.

conducted
before
instructional
sessions on
academic
engagement
and stereotypy
in children with
ASD1

stereotypy
maintained by
automatic
reinforcement.
One participant
was an 8- yearold girl with
stereotypy
consisting of
repetitive
rocking and
bouncing. The
other
participant was
a 7-year-old
boy with
stereotypy
consisting of
repetitive arm
swinging and
head touching.

universitysupported
autism
clinic.

Bahrami, F.,
Movahedi, A.,
Marandi, S., &

The purpose of
this study was
to investigate

The
participants
were thirty

All training
sessions
were

academic
engageme
nt.

The
dependent

of satiation was identified

by indirect interviews
with stakeholders and
direct observational
assessments.
Phase 2:
The researchers evaluated
the participants behavior
under three conditions. 1.
Satiation: participants
were allowed to jump on
the trampoline until they
engaged in their
behavioral indicator of
satiation (ceasing
jumping for 1 minute
three times for the female
and feet touching the
ground three times for the
male). Brief access: The
students also engaged in
brief antecedent exercise
which was determined as
20% of the time to
satiation. No Access:
Lastly, the students were
observed without any
antecedent exercise. After
the conditions, the
participants were brought
to the intervention room
where they were given
discrete trial training
(DTT) intervention
sessions.
The exercise group
received Kata techniques
instruction one session

engagement was
increased following
physical exercise
until satiation for
both participants.

in antecedent
physical activity.
One example of
this is using a
personal sized
trampoline before
engaging in an
academic activity.
Allowing a student
to jump on a
trampoline is a
great break
between two
activities.

To investigate the
change in
stereotypy severity

Students with ASD

can enroll in a
martial arts

Abedi, A.
(2012). Kata
techniques
training
consistently
decreases
stereotypy in
children with
autism spectrum
disorder.
Research in
Developmental
Disabilities,
1183-1193.

the effects of
14 weeks of
Kata
techniques
training on
stereotypic
behaviors of
children with
ASD.

school aged
children (ages
5 to 16)
diagnosed with
ASD. There
were 26 males
and 4 females
chosen
randomly from
200 students
who attend the
Autism
Institute. None
of the
participants
had ever done
Kata training.
Participants
were paired
based on age,
gender and
autism
severity. Of
each pair, one
was in the
control group
of no Kata
training and
the other was
in the
intervention
group of Kata
training.

conducted in
an
appropriate
and indoor
sport hall
designed for
martial arts
purposes
after the
participants'
scheduled
classes in the
afternoon.

Celiberti*, D.
A., Bobo, H. E.,
Kelly, K. S.,
Harris, S. L., &
Handleman, J.

The purpose of
this study was
to determine
the effects of
joggings versus

The participant
is a five-yearold male
diagnosed with
mild to

Instructional
sessions
were
conducted in
a 3x5

variable
was
stereotypy
as
assessed
by the
total raw
score of
GARS-2.

The
dependent
variable
was any

per day for four days a

week for fourteen weeks.
The participants would
watch a video of a
specific Kata technique
and then a trainer would
teach Kata techniques to
the participants. The
duration of exercise
increased from thirty
minutes in the beginning
to ninety minutes after 8
weeks. The TARGET
(tasks, authority, rewards,
grouping, evaluation,
time) model was used to
enhance motivation
among participants.

in the exercise
group they
compared the mean
score from GARS-2
to that individuals
mean score in their
post-intervention
time. It was found
the mean score of
those in the
exercise group were
on average 5.33
points lower than
the baseline mean
score of stereotypy.

program that
focuses on Kata
techniques to
reduce their level
of stereotypic
behaviors. Teachers
might encourage
their students
families to enroll
them in group
physical exercise to
promote positive
behaviors.

Mark would jog for 6

minutes and then walk for
6 minutes. The entire
time he would be holding
hands with a teacher or

Stereotype
behaviors
decreased. Out-ofseat behaviors
decreased from 18

This study shows

the positive effects
jogging and
walking prior to
participating in

S. (1997). The
differential and
temporal effects
of antecedent
exercise on the
self-stimulatory
behavior of a
child with
autism.
Research in
Developmental
Disabilities, 18,
139150.

walking on
suppressing the
self-stimulatory
behavior of a
child with
autism.

moderate ASD.
He performs
stereotypical
behaviors such
as swinging
hands.

Morrison, H.
(2011). An
evaluation of
antecedent
exercise on
behavior
maintained by
automatic
reinforcement
using a threecomponent
multiple
schedule.
Journal of
Applied
Behavior
Analysis, 44(3),
523-541.

This study
evaluated the
effect on
antecedent
exercise for
treating the
automatically
reinforced
problem
behavior of 4
individuals
with ASD.

Four
individuals
with ASD who
exhibited
problem
behavior that
interfered with
their
educational
programming
and social
interaction
with peers

cubicle
adjacent to
the
classroom.
Walking and
jogging
occurred
around the
perimeter of
the school.
When
weather did
not comply,
Mark jogged
or walked up
and down a
long
hallway.
All sessions
were
conducted in
a room
equipped
with a video
camera and
other
materials
necessary for
conducting
experimental
sessions.

nonfuncti
onal
movement
of arms,
fingers, or
hands
(ex.,
rubbing,
waving,
banging,
clapping,
hitting,
and
flapping).

The
dependent
variables
were the
item
engageme
nt and
problem
behavior.

paraprofessional to keep
him form over exerting
himself. This was
followed with a three
minute cool down period
before returning to class.
There was a timer to
signal when each section
was completed. He then
returned to class where
behavioral management
techniques (DRI, verbal
and physical prompting)
were already in place for
his 40-minute period.

occurrences to 9.5
occurrences after
exercise. Near the
end of the 40minute class period
the behaviors began
to occur again, but
directly after
exercise the
behaviors were
decreased for about
three fourths of
class.

academic class has

on a students
behaviors.
Incorporating these
methods into a
students daily
schedule may help
them be actively
engaged and reduce
stereotypical
behaviors that
cause distractions
for the student and
peers.

Through a functional
analysis, preference
assessment, and exercise
assessment, the
participants' problem
behavior was recorded
using frequency or
momentary time
sampling. The effects of
the exercise intervention
were evaluated using a
three-component
multiple-schedule test
sequence (10 minute
preintervention, 10
minute intervention, and
10 minute
postintervention). The
results were compared to
a leisure-interaction and a
social-interaction control

There were
moderate decreases
in problem
behavior following
exercise for three
out of the four
participants.

Antecedent
exercise can be
performed with
minimal prompting
and doesnt require
a dedicated
observer/therapist.
It less staff
intensive than
consequence based
interventions, so it
can useful in
clinic/classroom
settings with low
staff-to-student
ratios.

sequence. During the

exercise and leisure
interventions, the
participant had
continuous access to the
items identified in the
preference assessment.
During the social
intervention, the therapist
delivered attention on the
same schedule as that
used for prompts and
praise during the exercise
and leisure interventions.

Notes:
1
ASD = autism spectrum disorder