Abstract

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder display greater levels of sedentary behavior when compared to their neurotypical peers, leading to a higher risk of negative health outcomes. Traditional physical activity research has identified a number of determining factors that may influence a child’s physical activity levels, with parent physical activity engagement, support, and attitudes having substantial impact. This influence may be moderated by the parent- child relationship shared within the family system, yet the application of this moderating factor into the ASD population is problematic. As such, this commentary examines the current parent-child physical activity literature, how the parent-child relationship differs in family managing ASD, and finally we propose new prospectives requiring research to examine the distinctiveness of the parent-child relationship in family’s managing an ASD diagnosis in effort to provide clarity regarding the role parents may play in promoting physical activity engagement in children with ASD..

Keywords:Autism Spectrum Disorder; Parent; Physical Activity; Relationships; Commentary