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CompletedNCT07779525MBDG-ASDUpdated Aug 21, 2026

Movement-Based Digital Game Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

An interventional study of Movement-Based Digital Games in Autism Spectrum Disorder, sponsored by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 6 Years to 10 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-21.

Sponsored by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
6 Years to 10 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this study is to learn if movement-based digital games can help improve motor skills in children aged 6-10 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The main question this study aims to answer is:

* Do children who take part in movement-based digital games show greater improvement in motor skills than children who continue their usual education and rehabilitation program?

Researchers will compare 10 children who take part in the movement-based digital game program with 10 children who continue their usual education and rehabilitation program.

Participants in the movement-based digital game group will:

  • Play movement-based digital games twice a week for 10 weeks.
  • Take part in game sessions lasting about 60 minutes.
  • Complete motor skill assessments before, during, and after the program.

Participants in the control group will continue their usual education and rehabilitation program and complete the same motor skill assessments at the same time points.

Read the detailed description

This randomized controlled study was designed to examine the effects of researcher-developed movement-based digital games on motor performance in children aged 6-10 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study used a parallel-group design with repeated assessments. A total of 20 children participated in the study and were assigned to either a movement-based digital game group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10).

The movement-based digital games were developed by the research team through a systematic, user-centered, and iterative development process. The development process included a review of the relevant literature and movement-related learning outcomes, preparation of game designs, interdisciplinary expert evaluation, revision of the games based on expert feedback, software development, and pilot testing.

The games were designed to encourage children to actively interact with the digital environment through body movements. The game activities included tasks involving balance, coordination, locomotor skills, object control, hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination, rhythm, reaching, jumping, changing direction, body awareness, and target-directed movements. The difficulty of the movement tasks was progressively increased during the program.

An interdisciplinary panel of 10 experts reviewed the digital games before implementation. The games were evaluated in terms of educational and developmental appropriateness, suitability for children with ASD, motor skill content, clarity of instructions, visual design, feedback mechanisms, safety, technical functionality, and usability. The games were revised based on expert feedback and pilot tested before the main study.

Children in the movement-based digital game group participated in the program in addition to their usual education and rehabilitation program. The program was conducted over 10 weeks, with two sessions per week, for a total of 20 sessions. Each session lasted approximately 60 minutes and included a warm-up, movement-based digital game activities, and a cool-down. Children in the control group continued their usual education and rehabilitation program during the same period.

Motor performance was assessed at three time points during the study: before the program, at the midpoint of the program, and after completion of the program. The same assessment schedule was applied to both groups.

02

Conditions studied

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

Keywords

  • Autism
  • Motor Performance
  • Digital Games
  • Movement-Based Digital Games
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
6 Years to 10 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Children between 6 and 10 years of age.
  • Formal diagnosis of mild or moderate Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by a qualified physician.
  • Able to understand and follow simple verbal instructions.
  • Able to stand independently and perform basic locomotor movements.
  • Regular attendance at the rehabilitation center during the study period.
  • Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Orthopedic surgery within the previous 6 months.
  • Additional neurological, orthopedic, or cardiovascular condition that could affect motor performance.
  • Acute medical condition that prevents participation in regular physical activity.
  • Expected attendance of less than 80% of the planned intervention sessions.
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
20 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Experimental Group

    Participants received a researcher-developed movement-based digital game program consisting of 20 sessions delivered twice weekly over a 10-week period, with each session lasting approximately 60 minutes, in addition to their routine educational and rehabilitation program.

    Behavioral: Movement-Based Digital Games

  • No intervention
    Control Group

    Participants continued their routine educational and rehabilitation program without any additional digital game or physical activity interventions.

Interventions

  • BehavioralMovement-Based Digital Games

    A 10-week program consisting of 20 sessions (60 min each) involving structured, whole-body digital games designed to target balance, coordination, and locomotor skills in children with ASD.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Motor Performance assessed by Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition-Short Form (BOT-2 SF) Total Score

    The BOT-2 SF is a standardized performance-based assessment used to evaluate gross and fine motor proficiency. The BOT-2 Total Score is calculated from 14 performance tasks covering subdomains such as balance, manual dexterity, coordination, and strength/agility. Higher scores indicate better overall motor performance.

    Time frame: Baseline (Pre-test), Week 5 (Mid-test), and Week 10 (Post-test)

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Burdur Special Education and Rehabilitation Center
    Burdur, Burdur 15200, Turkey (Türkiye)
07

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07779525
Lead sponsor
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 21, 2026
Start date
May 14, 2026
Primary completion
Jul 24, 2026
Completion
Jul 24, 2026
Last update
Aug 21, 2026

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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