Benefits of Yoga

for Children with

ASD
By: Jessica Moritz
 Introduction
What benefits does yoga therapy have with
children who have autism spectrum disorder
(ASD)?
Population: children with ASD
Intervention: yoga therapy
Outcome: effectiveness
 Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is becoming more
prevalent in children nowadays. In 2016, the CDC
found that 1 in every 68 children will be diagnosed with
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Due to the high
probability of treating a client with ASD, it is important
that therapists implement CAM treatments that will
benefit the child in a positive manner. Yoga has been
found to decrease emotional arousal, maladaptive
behaviors, and improve functional behavior (Koenig,
Buckley-Reen & Garg, 2012). With further research, it
was found that yoga could promote these traits in
children who have ASD.
Significance of EBP Process
1 in 68 children have been diagnosed with ASD
(Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2016)
Very prevalent

Ive seen the benefits of yoga for myself so I

wanted to study how it affects kids who have
ASD because that is the predominant diagnose
my fieldwork site treats
 Search Strategy
Databases:
AJOT
CINAH

Key Words:
Yoga
Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD
Occupational Therapy, OT
 Evidence Found
Not a lot of evidence related to yoga and ASD
Article 1: Efficacy of the Get Ready to Learn Yoga
Program (GRTL) Among Children With Autism Spectrum
Disorders: A Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design
Level 3 randomized control

Article 2: Effectiveness of Yoga Training Program on the

Severity of Autism
Level 3 control group

Article 3: Relaxation Response-Based Yoga Improves

Functioning in Young Children with Autism: A Pilot Study
Level 4 pre-post test
 Article 1: Efficacy of the Get Ready to Learn Yoga
Program (GRTL) Among Children With Autism Spectrum
Disorders: A Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design

Study Objectives
To examine the effectiveness of the GRTL yoga program on
decreasing maladaptive behaviors with children who have ASD

Methods
Intervention group: 24 participants received 15-20 minutes of the
same GRTL program every school day for 16 weeks
Control group: 22 participated in standard morning activities
Measures:
Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) Community
VABS II (parents only)
Video observation of the first structured activity post-GRTL or morning
activity
 Article 1: Efficacy of the Get Ready to Learn Yoga
Program (GRTL) Among Children With Autism Spectrum
Disorders: A Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design

Outcomes
No significance change in VABS II or ABC Community
scores rated by parents
Implication: there was no change of maladaptive behavior
according to the parents
Statistically significant change in ABC Community scores
rated by teachers
Intervention group showed improved behavior compared to
the control group
Specifically in: irritability, agitation, crying, lethargy, social
withdraw, hyperactivity, and noncompliance
The control group did not show any statistically significant
change
 Article 2: Effectiveness of Yoga Training
Program on the Severity of Autism

Study Objectives
To examine the effects of a yoga training program
(YTP) on children with ASD

Methods
Parents in both groups completed the Autism
Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) before and after
experiment
Children were randomly assigned:
Intervention group: received a 30 minute YTP 24 times
during an 8 week period by a personal educator
Control group: no YTP, only normal daily activities
 Article 2: Effectiveness of Yoga Training
Program on the Severity of Autism

Outcomes
4 Parts of ATEC Scores:
Speech/language/communication (1): results were not
statistically significant post-test
Results between intervention and control group were
statistically significant post-test for sociability (2),
sensory/cognitive/awareness (3), and
health/physical/behavior (4)
Total ATEC score was statistically significant between
groups at post-test
 Article 3: Relaxation Response-Based
Yoga Improves Functioning in Young
Children with Autism: A Pilot Study
Study Objectives
To assess the therapeutic effects of a combined yoga,
dance, and music therapy on behavioral symptoms of
children with ASD

Methods
24 children participated in a 8-week multimodal
therapy program
Breathing techniques, yoga postures, music and dance,
and typical yoga relaxation
Measures (before and after): BASC -2 and ABC
 Article 3: Relaxation Response-Based
Yoga Improves Functioning in Young
Children with Autism: A Pilot Study
Outcomes
ABC scores were not statistically significant, however,
there was a trend towards improvement in latency-
aged children
BASC-2
BSI sub-score: statistically significant decrease for all
ages
However, latency age shows statistically significant
scores in decrease for aggression, anxiety, attention
problems, atypicality, conduct problems, depression,
hyperactivity, somatization, and withdrawal
 References
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). (2016, July 11). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html

Koenig, K. P., Buckley-Reen, A., & Garg, S. (2012). Efficacy of the Get Ready to Learn yoga program among children with autism

spectrum disorders: A pretestposttest control group design. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66(5),

538-546.

Rosenblatt, L. E., Gorantla, S., Torres, J. A., Yarmush, R. S., Rao, S., Park, E. R., ... & Levine, J. B. (2011). Relaxation responsebased

yoga improves functioning in young children with autism: A pilot study. The Journal of Alternative and

Complementary Medicine, 17(11), 1029-1035.

Sotoodeh, M. S., Arabameri, E., Panahibakhsh, M., Kheiroddin, F., Mirdoozandeh, H., & Ghanizadeh, A. (2017). Effectiveness of

yoga training program on the severity of autism. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 28, 47-53.