The Effects of a 12-week Program of Dance, Yoga, and Mindful Movement for Adults Aged 18-35 With Autism Spectrum Disorder
USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance
Summary
The goal of this study is to learn if a dance, yoga, and mindful movement program can improve the lives of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a condition that can affect how a person communicates, connects with others, and experiences daily life. This study focuses on adults ages 18 to 35. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can a dance, yoga, and mindful movement program improve social skills and communication for adults with ASD? * Can it improve their quality of life and sense of well-being? * Can it improve their physical, mental, and emotional health? Dance, yoga, and mindful movement have been studied in children with ASD, but very little research has looked at how they may help adults. This study hopes to help fill that gap. Participants will: * Take part in a 12-week dance, yoga, and mindful movement program * Answer survey questions at the start and end of the program about their social skills, communication, quality of life, well-being, and overall health
Description
Rationale: A structured literature search was conducted to characterize the existing evidence base prior to designing this study. A PubMed search for "dance, Yoga and mindful movement" conducted on 5/12/2025 returned three results, of which two were relevant and pertained to movement-to-music and adapted yoga in people with multiple sclerosis rather than ASD. This informed the design of the present study as a formal evaluation of a multimodal movement program delivered as a non-invasive, non-treatment-based lifestyle intervention. Design: This is a non-randomized, open-label, single-arm inter…