Relationship between physical activity and mental health in children with autism spectrum disorder:the mediat-ing role of social response
DUAN Guanting
XIAO Xue
HOU Huisheng
JIANG Yunqiao
LIU Yuge
SHI Wenxia
Abstract：Objective To evaluate the levels of physical exercise,mental health and social response in children with autism spec-trum disorder(ASD),and explore the mediating effect of social response on physical exercise and mental health.
Methods From September,2019 to April,2024,211 children with ASD from three special education schools in Haidian District and Shijingshan District of Beijing were selected.They were assessed with general data questionnaire,Physical Activity Rating Scale(PARS-3),Chinese version of Psycho-Educational Profile(C-PEP)and Social Re-sponse Scale-Short Form(SRS-SF).The correlation among physical exercise,mental health and social response was analyzed.The mediating effect of social response on physical exercise and mental health was explored.
Results The average physical exercise level was(58.72±3.34),the average mental health level was(14.85±1.67),and the average social response level was(24.98±3.79).Physical exercise was positively correlated with mental health(r=0.546,P<0.05)and negatively correlated with social response(r=-0.298,P<0.05).Mental health was negatively correlated with social response(r=-0.397,P<0.05).Average monthly family income,parental rela-tionship,repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy,physical exercise,social response were the influenc-ing factors of mental health(P<0.05).Social response was intermediary between physical exercise and mental health,accounting for 14.56%.
Conclusion The mental health level of children with ASD is poor,and there are many influencing factors.Physical exer-cise can directly affect the mental health of children with ASD,and can also play an indirect role through social response.
Keywords：autism spectrum disorderchildrenphysical exercisemental healthsocial response
Publication Date：2025-02-24
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：8( 150-157 )