Two years later: In-home neuro-exergaming with iPACES for adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Various studies have demonstrated cognitive and physical benefits of exercise in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Additionally, the results from some studies have indicated that exergaming, a form of exercise that involves simultaneous video game play, showed improvement in behavioral and cognitive performances in children with ASD (Tureck et al., 2016). Ferguson et al. (2021) examined the feasibility of in-home use for ASD of neuro-exergaming in particular, which aimed to impact a specific neuropsychological function. The interactive Physical and Cognitive Exercise System (iPACES), is a tablet-based pedal-n-play neuro-exergame that targets executive function. Ferguson completed a fully remote, in-home feasibility case study conducted during the start of the COVID-19 panedmic with an 11 year old youth with ASD. The goal of the current study is twofold. The first aim is to perform a follow up case study with the same youth enrolled in the Ferguson et al. study, following a similar, though slightly revised, protocol to try to increase the youth’s engagement with the neuroexergame during a single bout. The second goal is to measure the youth’s engagement with the iPACES over a one month intervention period when paired with a reward system. In both the single bout and month long intervention, both pre and post intervention cognitive and executive processing will be measured. Information regarding the youth’s engagement with and enjoyment of the updated iPACES game will be collected. The effectiveness of the reward system will be measured as a potential means to maintain engagement with the iPACES over time, without the direct administration from a researcher. Results should help advance understanding of exercise engagement in ASD, and have practical implications for future implementation of ASD interventions.