Effect of Kinesthetic-based Perceptual Integrative Games on Visual Perception and Academic Performance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Children learn everything through play and games. Visual perceptual skills are prerequisites for other areas of functioning, such as academic skills, activities of daily living, play, and leisure activities. Hence, visual perception can be improved using kinesthetic movement-based perceptual integrative games, as the children will be more interested in games rather than doing activities. Objective: The study aimed to identify the effect of kinesthetic-based perceptual integrative games on visual perception and academic performance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Study Design: Quasi-experimental study design was used. Methods: Fifty children diagnosed with mild and moderate ASD were selected based on convenient sampling. The experimental group (n = 25) received the kinesthetic-based perceptual integrative games for 36 sessions, 45 min per session, while the control group (n = 25) received conventional occupational therapy for the same period. Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Berry VMI) scale and Academic Performance Rating Scale (APRS) were used. Results: The result revealed that the kinesthetic-based perceptual integrative games significantly improved visual perception (P = 0.042, 95 confidence level (CL) range 13.326-0.846) and academic performance (P = 0.001, 95 CL range of - 8.3718--2.1882) compared to conventional occupational therapy but there was no correlation between the APRS and Berry VMI (P = 0.114). Conclusion: The kinesthetic-based perceptual integrative games intervention improved the visual perceptual skills and academic performance of children with ASD in this study. Hence, it can be used as a new therapeutic modality in treating children with ASD and other forms of disorders who have deficits in visual perception and academic skills. Keywords: Academic Performance, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kinesthetic-based Perceptual Integrative Games, Visual Perception