Testing an 8-Week Community Pickleball Program to Improve Movement, Sleep, Mood, and Autism Symptoms in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder Aged 18 to 45

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether an 8-week community-based pickleball program can improve sensory-motor function and reduce core autism symptoms in adults aged 18 to 45 with autism spectrum disorder ASD who can participate independently. The study compares an early-start pickleball group to a delayed-start control group to see if the program leads to better sensory-motor outcomes and reduced autism symptom severity. The intervention involves twice-weekly, 90-minute pickleball classes for 8 weeks 16 sessions total at indoor community court facilities led by trained instructors. Participants are randomized to either start the classes immediately or after a delay period. The program includes warm-ups, skill drills, supervised gameplay, and cooldowns, designed to be beginner-friendly and self-paced. Both groups undergo testing before and after the intervention phases. Participants attend in-person baseline and follow-up visits for surveys and sensory-motor assessments using the HaptiKart computerized task and pickleball skill evaluations. They wear an activity monitor during classes to track physical activity and complete online safety and feedback check-ins. Researchers measure sensory-motor function, autism symptom severity, depression, sleep quality, and quality of life over approximately 18 weeks, with monitoring before, during, and after the intervention periods.

Effect of an 8-Week Pickleball Program for Adults With Autism: A Feasibility Trial With a Delayed-Control Design