Judo and karate in primary school as a means for the improvement of social inclusion for autistic children

Purpose Autistic children are often at risk of isolation. Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of sport interventions for autistic children. Martial arts such as judo and karate are among the most recommended sports, but few studies have been conducted to analyze the benefits of sports in inclusive primary school contests. This research was conducted by “KATAUTISM PROJECT” of the Italian Judo, Wrestling, Karate and Martial Arts Federation (FIJLKAM), whose objective is the inclusion of autistic children through the practice of judo and karate in primary schools. Methods The study involves 31 ASD children (n = 5 girls, n = 26 boys) with different level of autism between 6 and 10 years old who all partook in an inclusive judo (n = 16) and karate program (n = 15) at school with their classmates. Each program includes 2 weekly sessions for 24 weeks, with each session lasting 1 h. This study analyzes three different areas in autistic children: the level of autism, social compromission, and gross motor skills. Results All ASD children completed the program with classmates that yielded statistically significant results (p < 0.05) in all three analyzed areas. Conclusion Judo and karate in school contest has favored the inclusion of ASD children within the classroom. Through careful monitoring of autistic mannerisms, hetero and self-aggressive behaviors, emotional regulation and a degree of tolerance, all ASD subjects greatly benefitted from the social inclusion. The study also demonstrated that the comparison groups of judo and karate produce similar average percentage improvements in GARS, SRS and TGMD-3.