Effects of Feedback With Different Frequency on Throwing Skill Learning in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Normal Children

Abstract

<strong>Background:</strong> Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental and neurological disorder that impairers many processes as perceptual, motor and cognitive function. Feedback frequency and its influences on ASD aspects indicate conflict impairs. <strong>Objectives:</strong> The aim of the current study was to investigate the frequency of feedback in children with autism and comparison with normal children during learning a new throwing task. <strong>Patients and Methods:</strong> In this study, 21 children with autism and 21 normal children were selected and each group was randomly divided into three subgroups (receiving 0%, 50%, 100% feedback). Participant's task was throwing beanbags toward the goal. In the acquisition phase, each participant performed 60 throws. Experimentally, group (0%) did not receive any feedback, group (50%) received feedback in half efforts and group (100%) received feedback in all the efforts. The retention test was performed 24 hours after the acquisition phase. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc test were used to analyze data. <strong>Results:</strong> Children with autism showed more learning by 100% feedback. Nonetheless, normal children learned more through reduced feedback (50%). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> In learning a new task, children with autism bring more performance in high frequency of feedback, but normal children showed better performance using reduced feedback. This finding indicates that children with autism need to get feedback different from normal children in learning.