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The Influence of Task Difficulty and Participant Age on Balance Control in ASD

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Abstract

Impairments in sensorimotor integration are reported in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Poor control of balance in challenging balance tasks is one suggested manifestation of these impairments, and is potentially related to ASD symptom severity. Reported balance and symptom severity relationships disregard age as a potential covariate, however, despite its involvement in balance development. We tested balance control during increasingly difficult balance conditions in children with ASD and typically developing peers, and investigated relationships between balance control and diagnostic/symptom severity metrics for participants with ASD, including age as a covariate. Balance deficits in ASD were exacerbated by stance alterations, but were not related to symptom severity when age was considered. These findings support impaired balance in ASD, especially in challenging conditions, but question a link between balance and symptom severity.

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Author notes

  1. Sarah A. Graham

    Present address: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South SHPB 360X, Birmingham, AL, 35294-1212, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-7251, USA

    Sarah A. Graham & Daniel J. Goble

  2. Department of Psychology, College of Sciences, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-4611, USA

    Angela E. Abbott, Aarti Nair & Ralph-Axel Müller

  3. Department of Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University, 10455 Pomerado Road, San Diego, CA, 92131, USA

    Alan J. Lincoln

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  1. Sarah A. Graham
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  2. Angela E. Abbott
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  3. Aarti Nair
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  4. Alan J. Lincoln
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  5. Ralph-Axel Müller
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  6. Daniel J. Goble
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Correspondence to Daniel J. Goble.

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Graham, S.A., Abbott, A.E., Nair, A. et al. The Influence of Task Difficulty and Participant Age on Balance Control in ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 1419–1427 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2303-7

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