The Effect of Art Therapy on Motor Skills of Children with Autism

Background and Aim: Autism spectrum disorder is the most common behavioral disorder in children that is associated with communication deficits and stereotyped behaviors. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of art therapy on the motor skills of children with autism. Materials and Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and a control group. The statistical population of the study included preschool and elementary school students in Tehran in 1395-96 school year. Among them, 30 children with autism were selected by purposive sampling and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. Data collection tools were the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (Garz) and the Lincoln-Ozertsky Motor Skills Test. Painting-based art therapy was performed in 18 sessions of 20 minutes for the experimental group. Data analysis was performed by analysis of covariance. Results: The results showed that art therapy affected fine motor skills, the balance and flexibility of the joints (P 0.001). Conclusion: According to the findings, art therapy can improve motor skills in these children by reducing stereotyped movements and coordinating hand and finger movements.