Strategies for Accessing and Implementing Inclusive Personal Training Programs for Young Adults with Autism

Background:  

In Canada, studies have shown that only approximately 3% of individuals with a disability are actively engaged in regular physical activity and sport, and 60% of youth with disabilities seldom or never play active games with friends in their free time. However, educators are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of personal fitness for their special education students. Some are convinced that physical education has a central role to play in building self-esteem and social skills that in turn lead to a more active and inclusive lifestyle for children with autism (e.g., Ochtabienski & Byl, in press). Further, young adults with autism are showing interest in accessing personal fitness opportunities, yet few programs outside school settings seem accessible. And fitness professionals are not systematically trained to include people with disabilities in their fitness programs.   

Objectives:  

This study identifies barriers to accessing and implementing personal fitness programs for young adults with autism. We aim to develop strategies to overcome barriers to inclusive personal training programs.

Methods:

We used purposeful sampling to select three young adult case study participants to represent different diagnostic categories of autism. These participants were seeking support in integrating regular physical activity in their daily lives. The first author, who is a certified personal trainer and a qualified teacher, developed and documented an individualized personal training program for each participant. Further, she interviewed caregivers, teachers, and personal fitness professionals who became associated with participants in the course of implementing each training plan. Inductive analyses of program documents (i.e., instructional materials, assessments, and transcripts of semi-structured interviews) across these cases yielded identification of barriers to fitness and strategies for overcoming barriers.

Results:  

These three cases presented a diversity of social, economic, and motivational barriers to personal fitness. Collectively, participant experiences suggested ways of overcoming barriers by tailoring programs to particular needs, and by transferring skills learned in one setting (e.g., home or school) to others (e.g., a fitness club or an organized recreational program setting). In each case, the social network of the individual expanded and there was evidence of reciprocal learning on the part of individuals with autism, caregivers, teachers, and fitness professionals.

Conclusions:  

People with autism benefit from personal fitness whether they are non-verbal and have multiple disabilities or have a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and little initial interest in personal fitness. However, systematic research is needed to track the impact of personal fitness on the development of people with autism of varying ages, interests and abilities. Further, an emphasis on physical education during the high school years needs to be represented in transition planning for young adults who are about to finish school. We argue here that it is important to take full advantage of school-based resources in the fitness domain to plan for the personal fitness needs of adults with autism who are leaving school. Finally, fitness professionals require training to be able to include individuals with autism in public and private personal training settings.