Encouraging Interpersonal Motor Synchrony Benefits Children with Autism

This thematic review examined the existing literature on the benefits of encouraging Interpersonal Motor Synchrony (IMS) in children with autism. 15 quantitative studies from four databases met inclusion criteria. Three major themes were identified from these papers. Firstly, children with autism enjoy being in synchrony; secondly, children with autism can synchronise when the activity is familiar and supported; and thirdly, IMS skills are associated with social communication skills. Effective synchrony is observed to be more challenging for certain clinical populations, including children with autism. If IMS is associated with positive feelings towards other people and an increased feeling of connection, it may then motivate children with autism to respond more frequently to others. The themes identified in the literature suggest that encouraging children with autism to synchronise with others may be a productive intervention goal.