Article PDF

About the Authors

Aurélien D’Ignazio – Psychomotor therapist, International Master’s Degree in Psychomotor Therapy (ISRP), PhD student in Human Movement Sciences, Université Paris Nanterre – UEF STAPS – ED 566 – LINP2, Nanterre, France, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., ORCID: 0009-0001-5114-7438

Giovanni de Marco – Head of the Interdisciplinary Laboratory in Neurosciences, Physiology and Psychology: Physical Activity, Health and Learning (LINP2), Full Professor, Université Paris Nanterre, Nanterre, France, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., ORCID: 0000-0003-1469-1044

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is classically defined by persistent difficulties in social interaction and communication, associated with restricted and repetitive behaviours. Beyond these criteria, recent data highlight the importance of sensorimotor dimensions in the developmental profile of autistic children. Sensory particularities, now included in the diagnostic criteria, affect the majority of children and influence behavioural regulation, learning and social interactions. In addition, motor impairments are highly prevalent and are frequently associated with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). These difficulties impact autonomy and engagement in school and social contexts.

Psychomotor therapy offers an integrative approach combining clinical assessment, standardised tools and contextualised functional interventions. By taking into account the sensory, motor, tonic and emotional dimensions of the child, it aims to support learning and self-regulation and to promote a more harmonious adjustment to the constraints of the everyday environment.

This narrative review aims to examine sensory and motor particularities in children with autism spectrum disorder and to discuss the role of psychomotor intervention in addressing these difficulties.

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder, motor skills disorders, sensory processing, rehabilitation, psychomotor intervention.

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
2. Henderson, S. E., Sugden, D. A., & Barnett, A. L. (2025). Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Third Edition (MABC-3), version française. ECPA. https://www.ecpa.fr
3. Vaivre-Douret, L. (2008). NP-MOT: Batterie d’évaluations des fonctions neuro-psychomotrices de l’enfant. ECPA. https://www.ecpa.fr
4. Haute Autorité de Santé. (2018). Trouble du spectre de l’autisme: interventions et parcours de vie de l’enfant et de l’adolescent. HAS. https://www.has-sante.fr/jcms/c_2855639/fr/trouble-du-spectre-de-l-autisme-interventions-et-parcours-de-vie-de-l-enfant-et-de-l-adolescent
5. Haute Autorité de Santé. (2026). Trouble du spectre de l’autisme: interventions et parcours de vie du nourrisson, de l’enfant et de l’adolescent. HAS. https://www.has-sante.fr/jcms/p_3448980/fr/trouble-du-spectre-de-l-autisme-interventions-et-parcours-de-vie-du-nourrisson-de-l-enfant-et-de-l-adolescent
6. Rogers, S. J., & Dawson, G. (2010). Early Start Denver Model for young children with autism. Guilford Press. https://www.guilford.com/books/Early-Start-Denver-Model-for-Young-Children-with-Autism/Rogers-Dawson/9781606236321
7. Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.55.1.3
8. Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson. Hoboken, NJ: Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/applied-behavior-analysis/P200000000905
9. Schopler, E., Mesibov, G. B., & Hearsey, K. (1995). Structured teaching in the TEACCH system. In E. Schopler & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.), Learning and cognition in autism (pp. 243–268). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-48647-0_4
10. Bondy, A., & Frost, L. (2001). The Picture Exchange Communication System. Pyramid Educational Consultants. https://pecsusa.com
11. Ben-Sasson, A., Hen, L., Fluss, R., Cermak, S. A., Engel-Yeger, B., & Gal, E. (2009). A meta-analysis of sensory modulation symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-008-0593-3
12. Dellapiazza, F., Michelon, C., Oreve, M.-J., Robel, L., Schoenberger, M., Chatel, C., Vesperini, S., Maffre, T., Schmidt, R., Blanc, N., Vernhet, C., Picot, M.-C., & Baghdadli, A. (2020). The impact of atypical sensory processing on adaptive functioning and maladaptive behaviors in autism spectrum disorder during childhood: Results from the ELENA cohort. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(6), 2142–2152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03970-w
13. Dunn, W. (2023). Sensory Profile 2, version française. ECPA. https://www.pearsonassessments.com/en-us/Store/Professional-Assessments/Motor-Sensory/Sensory-Profile-2/p/100000822?srsltid=AfmBOoptoXTEu_1EiWyMt_0CdteolxLJmg-dsEIV5-L2CEfZlB6ZIDyk&utm
14. Kapp, S. K., Steward, R., Crane, L., Elliott, D., Elphick, C., Pellicano, E., & Russell, G. (2019). ‘People should be allowed to do what they like’: Autistic adults’ views and experiences of stimming. Autism, 23(7), 1782–1792. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319829628
15. Gorgy, O., & D’Ignazio, A. (2022). Concevoir des programmes sensoriels pour personnes autistes. Tom Pousse. ISBN 978-2-35345-255-2. https://tompousse.fr/livre/concevoir-des-programmes-sensoriels-pour-personnes-autistes/
16. Kangarani-Farahani, M., Malik, M. A., & Zwicker, J. G. (2024). Motor impairments in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(5), 1977–1997. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-05948-1
17. Ming, X., Brimacombe, M., & Wagner, G. C. (2007). Prevalence of motor impairment in autism spectrum disorders. Brain & Development, 29(9), 565–570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.braindev.2007.03.002
18. Shetreat-Klein, M., Shinnar, S., & Rapin, I. (2014). Abnormalities of joint mobility and gait in children with autism spectrum disorders. Brain & Development, 36(2), 91–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.braindev.2012.02.005
19. Whyatt, C. P., & Craig, C. M. (2012). Motor skills in children aged 7–10 years, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(9), 1799–1809. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1421-8
20. David, F. J., Baranek, G. T., Giuliani, C. A., Mercer, V. S., Poe, M. D., & Thorpe, D. E. (2009). A pilot study: Coordination of precision grip in children and adolescents with high functioning autism. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 21(2), 205–211. https://doi.org/10.1097/PEP.0b013e3181a3afc2
21. Sacrey, L.-A. R., Germani, T., Bryson, S. E., & Zwaigenbaum, L. (2014). Reaching and grasping in autism spectrum disorder: A review of recent literature. Frontiers in Neurology, 5, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2014.00006
22. Paquet, A., Olliac, B., Golse, B., & Vaivre-Douret, L. (2017). Evaluation of neuromuscular tone phenotypes in children with autism spectrum disorder: An exploratory study. Neurophysiologie Clinique/Clinical Neurophysiology, 47(4), 261–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neucli.2017.07.001
23. Miyahara, M. (2013). Meta review of systematic and meta-analytic reviews on movement differences, effect of movement-based interventions, and the underlying neural mechanisms in autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 7, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2013.00016
24. Caçola, P., Miller, H. L., Pangelinan, M., & Bugnariu, N. (2017). Behavioral comparisons in autism spectrum disorder and developmental coordination disorder: A systematic literature review. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 38, 6–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2017.03.004
25. Miller, H. L., Sherrod, G. M., Mauk, J. E., Fears, N. E., Hynan, L. S., & Tamplain, P. M. (2021). Shared features or co-occurrence? Evaluating symptoms of developmental coordination disorder in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(10), 3443–3455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04766-z
26. Oliveira, K. S. C., Fontes, D. E., Longo, E., Leite, H. R., & Camargos, A. C. R. (2023). Motor skills are associated with participation of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(4), 1403–1412. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05318-9
27. Tunçgenç, B., Pacheco, C., Rochowiak, R., Nicholas, R., Rengarajan, S., Zou, E., Messenger, B., Vidal, R., & Mostofsky, S. H. (2021). Computerized assessment of motor imitation as a scalable method for distinguishing children with autism. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 6(3), 321–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.09.001
28. Ramos-Cabo, S., Vulchanov, V., & Vulchanova, M. (2021). Different ways of making a point: A study of gestural communication in typical and atypical early development. Autism Research, 14(5), 984–996. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2438
29. Peyre, H., Peries, M., Madieu, E., David, A., Picot, M.-C., Pickles, A., & Baghdadli, A. (2024). Association of difficulties in motor skills with longitudinal changes in social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder: Findings from the ELENA French cohort. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(8), 2731–2741. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02324-3
30. Blank, R., Barnett, A. L., Cairney, J., Green, D., Kirby, A., Polatajko, H., Rosenblum, S., Smits-Engelsman, B., Sugden, D., Wilson, P., & Vinçon, S. (2019). International clinical practice recommendations on the definition, diagnosis, assessment, intervention, and psychosocial aspects of developmental coordination disorder. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 61(3), 242–285. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14132
31. Polatajko, H. J., Mandich, A. D., Miller, L. T., & Macnab, J. J. (2001). Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP): Part II—The evidence. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 20(2–3), 83–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/J006v20n02_06
32. Polatajko, H. J., Mandich, A. D., Missiuna, C., Miller, L. T., Macnab, J. J., Malloy-Miller, T., & Kinsella, E. A. (2001). Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP): Part III—The protocol in brief. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 20(2–3), 107–123. https://doi.org/10.1080/J006v20n02_07
33. Rodger, S., Springfield, E., & Polatajko, H. J. (2007). Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance approach for children with Asperger’s syndrome who have motor-based occupational performance goals. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 27(4), 7–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/J006v27n04_02
34. Schoemaker, M. M., Niemeijer, A. S., Reynders, K., Smits-Engelsman, B. C. M., & van Galen, G. P. (2003). Effectiveness of neuromotor task training for children with developmental coordination disorder: A pilot study. Neural Plasticity, 10(1–2), 155–163. https://doi.org/10.1155/NP.2003.155