Increasing access to physical activity for autistic adults: development of resources to support engagement in dance.

Aim: To support engagement in physical activity through recreational dance and improve physical and mental health amongst autistic adults.

Background: Autistic people are at risk of dying almost two decades earlier than non-autistic people. Contributing factors include preventable health conditions such as depression, social isolation, loneliness and obesity. PA is beneficial for physical and mental health. However, autistic adults participate in PA less frequently than non-autistic adults and view it less favourably. Recreational dance has similar benefits and is non-competitive, offers flexibility in social engagement, can be done independently with few resources, and in several settings:

in one’s own space, e.g. at home (individually, with a partner, with an online class);

social settings (e.g. a salsa night, nightclub, party);

dance classes (individual dancing: tap, ballet; partner dancing: ballroom, Latin; group dancing: line dancing, sequence dancing).

Dance can be a sustainable hobby and could have widespread referral via social prescribing. However, excluding research in Dance Movement Therapy (psychotherapeutic use of movement, supported by a therapist), there has been little research on autistic adults’ experiences of dance and little is known about how to support autistic adults to engage in dance.

This project will address the evidence gap by exploring autistic adults’ experience of dance and developing practical resources to support engagement, including through social prescribing.

Methods: Autistic PPI contributors will advise throughout, across the two work packages (WPs):

WP1: A mixed-methods survey for autistic adults (N=180), and qualitative interviews (N=18), the latter using optional creative methods (music, photo or object elicitation, drawing) to explore experiences of dance: benefits, barriers, facilitators. Data will be analysed thematically and with descriptive statistics.

WP2: WP1 data will inform development of prototype resources (written materials/infographics, short films). Workshops with social prescribing link workers (N=10) and dance providers (N=10) will explore their knowledge and awareness of autism, their capability, opportunities and motivation to support autistic people in their services, and barriers to inclusion. We will share the prototype resources and evaluate their preliminary acceptability and feasibility of use. Evaluation data from workshops will be analysed thematically. We will then work with stakeholders/PPI contributors to finalise the resources for implementation.

Outputs and impact: Freely available practical resources on how to support autistic adults to engage with dance. Autistic people will experience better dance referral and provision and dance organisations will be able to provide inclusive and accessible services. This will help to improve the health and wellbeing of autistic adults. Outputs will be amenable to multiple platforms (blogs, articles, Apps, websites, leaflets). Further outputs include co-produced lay summaries, social media engagement, videos, academic publications, and presentations for sharing with the autistic community, primary care and public health networks, dance providers and researchers nationally and internationally.