Güeita (2021) Effects of Aquatic Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on Social Competence and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods Study

The article “Effects of Aquatic Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on Social Competence and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods Study” by Javier Güeita-Rodríguez et al., published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2021, explores the impact of aquatic therapy (AT) on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study evaluates how an AT program can influence the social competence and quality of life of the participants and integrates qualitative data to understand the participants’ experiences with the intervention. This mixed-methods research involved six children with ASD and their parents, and used a concurrent embedded design with both quantitative and qualitative components.

The quantitative results showed significant improvements in physical competence and significant improvements in school functioning and aquatic skills, with no adverse events. Qualitative findings revealed themes such as the meaning of AT intervention, changes in behavior and activities, and improvements in social communication and interaction. The aquatic intervention showed positive results for social and physical competence, with elements of discordance, expansion, and confirmation between quantitative and qualitative results.

The study suggests that AT could be a promising approach for improving social interactions and behavior in children with ASD. However, further research with larger samples is needed to confirm these findings and assess the general applicability of AT in treating ASD.