Modified, context-focused sports program for adolescents with autism
Official title: Modified Sports Intervention Combined With Context-Focused Intervention in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study
Run by Federal University of Minas Gerais · NCT06916988 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try combining a modified sports program (Sports Stars Brazil) with a context-focused approach (PREP) to see if it helps adolescents with autism take part more in sports and improve physical skills.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 12 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 52 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Federal University of Minas Gerais Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | June 1, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | March 13, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06916988 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adolescents with ASD functioning at Level I or II who can engage in group activities and do not have significant cognitive, behavioral, or medical contraindications.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe cognitive, behavioral, or clinical limitations (e.g., serious cardiorespiratory disease) or those unable to attend in-person sessions are unlikely to benefit from this program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This mixed-methods protocol combines a randomized controlled trial with a qualitative phase to test whether Sports Stars Brazil plus PREP increases participation and physical literacy in adolescents with ASD. The trial arm delivers a modified sports curriculum alongside PREP strategies that modify environments and empower families, while comparison participants receive usual supports. Outcomes include measures of participation, motor skills, and physical activity, and the second phase uses interviews to explore participant and family perceptions of barriers and facilitators. The design aims to link quantitative change in activity and skills with lived experience to inform sustainable community participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the combined approach could help teens with autism join community sports more often, improve motor and social skills, and support longer-term active lifestyles.
How similar studies have gone: Modified sports programs such as Sports Stars have shown benefits for motor and social outcomes in children with ASD, but combining Sports Stars with PREP in adolescents is novel and has not been previously tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). * Level I of functioning (able to maintain interaction and adapt to changes). * Level II of functioning (able to communicate with others but faces difficulties when changes occur) according to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Social Communication Functioning Classification System. Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive limitations * Behavioral limitations * Clinical limitations (e.g., severe cardiorespiratory disease)
Where it's running
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Federal University of Minas Gerais
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: LIDIANE F BORGES, Master
- Email: lidiborges.fisio@gmail.com
- Phone: +55 31 988248035
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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.