مجله علوم روانشناختی (Apr 2020)
The effect of verbal instructions during observational training on overarm throwing in children with autism spectrum disorder
Abstract
Background: Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of verbal instructions and observational training separately, howevere, the simultaneous effect of these two variables on motor performance in autistic children is unclear yet. Aims: to determine two type of verbal instruction to effect and form of movement during observing the model on overarm throwing in autism children. Method: This study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design. The statistical population of the study was all autistic children of Nik Andishan Center of Sari (68 persons). 24 children aged 7-10 years were selected as the sample and randomly divided into two groups of pattern-focusing on pattern of movement and pattern-focusing on effects. Movements were affected. Exercises (according to al-Abboud et al., 2002) in both groups included observing 10 skillful throwing models over the shoulder, with each group receiving prior instruction of its own. Before and after the interventions, motor performance of both groups was evaluated by the shoulder throwing test (Chivoyakovsky et al., 2008) and analyzed by paired t-test, ANOVA. Results: both groups showed a significant increase from the pre-test to post-test in the performance of overarm throwing (p≤0/05). In the post-test, the modeling-focus on movement effects group compared to the modeling-focus on movement forms group had significantly higher performance (p≤0/05). Conclusions: Providing verbal instructions to movement effects of observed model improve the motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder.
