A pickleball program for adults with autism spectrum disorder
Tests an 8-week pickleball program in adults with autism spectrum disorder.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Effect of an 8-Week Pickleball Program for Adults With Autism: A Feasibility Trial With a Delayed-Control Design
Key facts
- Where
- Middletown, United StatesSee the site
- Phase
- Early phase 1
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 45 years old?
Source: NCT07432776, who can take part
Where in United States
- Penn State HarrisburgMiddletown, United StatesTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Penn State University
- Trial code
- NCT07432776
- Record updated
- 25 February 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an 8-week, community-based pickleball program can improve sensory-motor function and reduce the severity of core autism symptoms in adults ages 18-45 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who can participate independently without a caregiver.Read full original descriptionShow less
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
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an 8-week, community-based pickleball program can improve sensory-motor function and reduce the severity of core autism symptoms in adults ages 18-45 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who can participate independently without a caregiver.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Does participating in the pickleball program improve sensory-motor function (including visual-motor integration and proprioceptive bias), measured using the HaptiKart task and a pickleball skill assessment? 2. Does participating in the pickleball program reduce core autism symptom severity, measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd edition (SRS-2)?
Researchers will compare an early-start pickleball group to a delayed-start control group (who continues usual activities at first) to see if the pickleball program leads to greater improvements in sensory-motor outcomes and ASD symptom severity.
Participants will:
* Complete an in-person baseline visit at a local public library to provide written consent, complete surveys (SRS-2, PROMIS Depression and Sleep measures, and WHOQOL-BREF), and complete a video game-based sensory-motor assessment (HaptiKart). * Be randomly assigned to either start pickleball classes immediately or after an initial delay period. * Attend pickleball classes twice per week for 8 weeks (90 minutes per class; 16 sessions total), led by trained instructors at community indoor court facilities. * Continue their usual activities during periods when they are not assigned to pickleball classes. * Complete a brief pickleball skill assessment during the intervention period at their first and last class. * Complete follow-up assessments after each phase of the study to repeat surveys and sensory-motor testing. * Participants will also wear a small activity monitor (ActiGraph) during pickleball sessions to measure in-class physical activity levels, and complete brief online check-ins about safety/injury and program feedback during the intervention period.
Inclusion: 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: Neurologic conditions (cerebral palsy, severe head injury, progressive neurological disorders, epilepsy); Individuals who require medical clearance for exercise based on the ACSM preparticipation screening questionnaire; 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); Individuals who cannot provide their own informed consent (i.e., have a legally authorized representative).