EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTERVENTION ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Electroencephalography (EEG) signals are frequently used in mental workload assessments. Therefore, spectral analysis in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is considered necessary to shed light on the aetiology, to develop intervention programs to reduce symptoms, to determine the effects of these methods, and to understand the development of neuronal activity. This study aims to examine the effects of physical activity on brain activation, autism symptoms, and repetitive behavioral changes in children with ASD. The model of this study is a pre and post-test design with a control group from quantitative and experimental research designs. 21 children with ASD were included in the study using the criterion sampling method. A physical activity program based on the learning by difference approach was implemented, based on the principle that the learning process would be more effective with sudden fluctuations created in the brain. The effects of the program were determined using data obtained from repeated behavioral and neural measurements. The findings pave the way for a more comprehensive examination of the complex brain processes that may be responsible for the reduction in repetitive behaviors exhibited by children with ASD.