Master of Public Health / Department of Kinesiology / David A. Dzewaltowski / Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) may be at greater risk for not meeting physical activity guidelines than neurotypical children (NT). Influences on physical activity (PA) of children with ASD are unclear and marked characteristics of the disorder pose challenges for developing interventions to promote PA. . The purpose of this study was to explore setting (free play versus structured) and group composition influences on ASD and NT young children's physical activity (LMVPA, MVPA) during a summer camp. Methods: Data were collected on 12 boys (5-6 years) attending an inclusive summer camp. During free play and structured activity sessions, research assistants observed the camp’s social environment and children’s PA using a modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity of Children – Preschool. Results: In a free play setting, children with ASD spent significantly less time in MVPA while with a peer (1.0% of session time), compared to being with a group of peers (12%) or when alone (13%). In free play, NT peers spent significantly more time in LMVPA when solitary (67%) compared to with a peer (38%) or with an adult (40%). In a structured setting, NT peers had greater LMVPA solitary (72%) social environments compared to being in a group with adult (34%). Conclusion: Preliminary evidence suggests that features of the social environment may influence PA levels of children with and without ASD. Depending on the setting, certain social group contexts may be more PA promoting than others.

Master of Science / Department of Human Ecology / Bronwyn Fees / With obesity on the rise in young children, the need to examine interventions to increase activity levels, a factor in obesity, in childhood is apparent. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between toddlers wearing a costume prop and their type and intensity of movement as well as their level of social participation. It was hypothesized that intensity of movement and types of movement would increase when the child wore a cape compared to no cape. A total of fifty-four subjects between the ages of 24 and 36 months participated in the study, structured into an intervention group (n = 27) and a control group (n = 27). Toddlers in the control group were observed for 20 minutes during free play inside the classroom wearing a specifically designed data collection garment (which looked like a “vest”) to record movement and sound. Participants in the intervention group were observed with the same data collection garment and the costume prop “cape” for 20 minutes during morning free-play period inside. The toddlers‟ behaviors were coded as outlined by Brown, Pfeiffer, McIver, Dowda, Joao, Almeida, and Pate‟s (2006) Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool (OSRAC-P), modified to capture the unique movements of toddlers for the present study. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were utilized to examine the effect of a costume prop on intensity of activity, types of gross motor movement, and forms of social play. Results revealed the intervention group exhibited significantly greater engagement in onlooker, solitary, and parallel play (p < .001) than the control group. No significant differences in the levels of intensity or types of activity exhibited between the two groups. Implications for further research on physical activity and stimulating physical activity in the classroom are discussed