Bridging the intention-behavior gap: The role of action planning in parental support for physical activity in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

This study looked at how parents can better support their autistic children to be physically active. Only 18% of autistic children in the study got the recommended hour of daily exercise. The research found that when parents have strong intentions to help their child be active AND make specific plans about how to do this, they're more likely to actually provide support. This parental support then leads to more physical activity for their autistic child.

This cross-sectional study examined factors influencing parental support for physical activity in 164 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in China. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior framework, researchers found that only 18.3% of participants met WHO daily physical activity guidelines. Path analysis revealed that parental intentions to support physical activity predicted both action planning and actual support behaviors. Action planning mediated the relationship between intentions and behaviors, while parental support served as the critical pathway linking intentions to children's physical activity levels.

The study demonstrates that strengthening parental intentions and developing concrete action plans are essential for promoting physical activity in this population.

Interventions should focus on strengthening parental intentions and developing specific action plans to support physical activity. Parent training programs should emphasize both motivation and concrete planning strategies. Healthcare providers should assess and address parental support as a key factor in promoting physical activity participation among autistic children.

Cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences. Study conducted only in China, limiting generalizability to other cultures. Sample characteristics not fully described. Reliance on self-report measures may introduce bias. No control group comparison provided.

Parental support constitutes a critical determinant of physical activity (PA) engagement in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet its predictors remain understudied. Grounded in an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, this study examines the sequential relationships between parental support intention, parental action planning, parental support, and PA in this population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 164 parents/caregivers of children and adolescents with ASD in China. The parents/caregivers completed a survey form measuring key TPB constructs of interest.

Only 18.3 % of children and adolescents with ASD met the WHO's recommended guideline of at least 60 min of daily PA. Path analysis revealed that parental support intentions directly predicted parental action planning (β = 0.52) and parental support (β = 0.34), while action planning mediated the intention-behavior relationship. Further, parental support mediated the intention-PA association (β = 0.41) and served as the critical pathway linking intention to children's PA through a chain mediation model (support intention → action planning → parental support → PA). The extended TPB model elucidates the mechanisms underlying parental support for children and adolescents with ASD.

These findings underscore the necessity to strengthen parental intentions, develop actionable plans, and implement integrated support strategies for promoting PA in this population.