8-week community pickleball program for adults with autism
Official title: Effects of an 8-Week Pickleball Intervention on Sensorimotor Function, Sleep, Depressive Symptoms, and Core Autism Features in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Feasibility Trial With a Delayed-Control Design
Run by Penn State University · NCT07432776 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will try an 8-week community pickleball program to see if it improves sensory-motor skills and reduces core autism symptoms in adults (18–45) with ASD who can participate without a caregiver.
Quick facts
| Phase | Early Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years to 45 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Penn State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Middletown, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 2, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 15, 2026 |
| Study ends | July 15, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | February 25, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07432776 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–45 with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder who can attend twice-weekly community sessions, communicate independently in English, travel to the site, and provide informed consent.
✕Probably not a fit
People with intellectual disability, significant mobility or neurologic impairments, moderate-to-severe joint pain, regular racquet-sport participation, or those unable to consent or attend the location are unlikely to benefit or are excluded.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a two-arm, delayed-start randomized design where adults with autism are assigned either to begin an 8-week community pickleball program immediately or to continue usual activities and start later. Participants complete in-person baseline and post-intervention testing, with the delayed group serving as a control during the first phase. Outcomes include sensory-motor measures (HaptiKart task and a pickleball skill assessment) and autism symptom severity measured with the SRS-2. The program is delivered in a community setting with sessions held twice weekly and follow-up testing after Phase 1.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could improve visual-motor integration, sensory-motor coordination, and reduce social symptom severity through a scalable community activity.
How similar studies have gone: Exercise and community-sport programs have shown benefits for motor and social outcomes in autistic populations, but using pickleball in a controlled delayed-start design is novel and not yet widely tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 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 Exclusion Criteria: * 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
Where it's running
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Penn State Harrisburg
Middletown, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Chris Sciammana, MD — Penn State College of Medicine
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.