Understanding Autistic Young Adults' Intention to Engage in Physical Activity and Leverage Wearable Activity Trackers

• Author / Creator

  Barrett, Michael C. G.

• Autistic young adults are underrepresented in research on physical activity (PA). However, many face serious health concerns due to sedentary lifestyles. A possible intervention is wearable activity trackers (WATs), which has demonstrated utility for monitoring and supporting PA outcomes within the general population. However, there is an absence of research to indicate if WATs are helpful interventions for the autistic community. The present study comprised of two components. First, the principal investigator (PI) utilized a participatory research (PR) approach to work directly with three advisory committees (an autistic advisory committee (AAC), a non-autistic advisory committee (NAC), and a professional panel of autistic trainers) to develop and implement a Canadian national survey to examine three key areas of investigation. Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was applied as a theoretical framework to guide the survey development. Committee members engaged in a series of focused discussions to share their thoughts and experiences related to PA and using WATs. These discussions provided an enhanced understanding of the complexity that autistics experience associated with defining and understanding all of the areas that PA represents. Secondly, the survey was administered to 526 young adults (18-35 years old) across Canada. The study sought to answer three question: (a) whether differences exist in the degree to which autistic and non-autistic young adults intend to engage in various intensities of PA, (b) whether differences exist between autistic and non-autistic young adults specific to interest in using WATs, and (c) to understand what system of support (SOS) elements would be perceived as helpful in learning to use WATs. Study results suggest that autistics have positive intention towards engaging in PA. The findings also indicate that autistics have positive interest towards using WATs and utilizing online technology such as YouTube and social media to support learning with WATs. This research addresses a significant gap with PA assessments that utilize unclear or misconstrued definitions to describe PA (e.g., exercise, fitness). The use of ambiguous concepts can present unanticipated bias, adversely affecting the accuracy of interest/intention towards PA. In addition, previous research has infrequently solicited feedback directly from the autistic young adult but rather from secondary external sources (e.g., caregivers/parents, health professionals). Previous research has indicated that autistic people are interested in wearable technology but not specifically using WATs to track PA. The findings of this study suggest the positive possibilities of using WAT technology in PA interventions with autistic young adults.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Physical Activity
  • Autistic Young Adults
  • Wearable Activity Trackers
  • System of Support

• Graduation date

  Fall 2024

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-953r-2k64

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Library with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.