Actively Recruiting

Early Phase 1
Age: 18Years - 45Years
All Genders
NCT07432776

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

Led by Penn State University · Updated on 2026-02-25

50

Participants Needed

1

Research Sites

23 weeks

Total Duration

On this page

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an 8-week, community-based pickleball program can improve sensory-motor function and reduce the severity of core autism symptoms in adults ages 18-45 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who can participate independently without a caregiver. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does participating in the pickleball program improve sensory-motor function (including visual-motor integration and proprioceptive bias), measured using the HaptiKart task and a pickleball skill assessment? 2. Does participating in the pickleball program reduce core autism symptom severity, measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd edition (SRS-2)? Researchers will compare an early-start pickleball group to a delayed-start control group (who continues usual activities at first) to see if the pickleball program leads to greater improvements in sensory-motor outcomes and ASD symptom severity. Participants will: * Complete an in-person baseline visit at a local public library to provide written consent, complete surveys (SRS-2, PROMIS Depression and Sleep measures, and WHOQOL-BREF), and complete a video game-based sensory-motor assessment (HaptiKart). * Be randomly assigned to either start pickleball classes immediately or after an initial delay period. * Attend pickleball classes twice per week for 8 weeks (90 minutes per class; 16 sessions total), led by trained instructors at community indoor court facilities. * Continue their usual activities during periods when they are not assigned to pickleball classes. * Complete a brief pickleball skill assessment during the intervention period at their first and last class. * Complete follow-up assessments after each phase of the study to repeat surveys and sensory-motor testing. * Participants will also wear a small activity monitor (ActiGraph) during pickleball sessions to measure in-class physical activity levels, and complete brief online check-ins about safety/injury and program feedback during the intervention period.

CONDITIONS

Official Title

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

Who Can Participate

Age: 18Years - 45Years
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Aged 18-45 years
  • Clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • Able to participate in group-based activities without caregiver support
  • Able to understand English and independently communicate without assistance
  • Available for at least two sessions per week for the intervention dates
  • Access to reliable transportation to the intervention site
  • Able to provide informed consent (i.e., no legally authorized representative)
  • Pre-exercise screening indicates medical clearance is not needed, based on ACSM guidelines
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Clinical diagnosis of intellectual disability (ID)
  • Does not have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
  • Actively participating in a racquet sport 1 time per week
  • Use of mobility aids
  • Moderate-to-severe joint pain (WOMAC pain subscale)
  • Neurologic conditions (cerebral palsy, severe head injury, progressive neurological disorders, epilepsy)
  • Individuals who cannot provide their own informed consent (i.e., have a legally authorized representative)
  • Individuals who require medical clearance for exercise based on the ACSM preparticipation screening questionnaire

AI-Screening

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Trial Site Locations

Total: 1 location

1

Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, Pennsylvania, United States, 17011

Actively Recruiting

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How is the study designed?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Masking

NONE

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Model

PARALLEL

Primary Purpose

TREATMENT

Number of Arms

2

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