Autism Spectrum DisorderNCT07765277
The Effect of Exergame-Supported Training on Reaction Time and Agility
A study testing Exergame Training in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This study looks at whether a type of exercise video game, called an exergame, can help adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who play table tennis react faster and move more quickly (agility) during play. Twenty-four adolescent male table tennis players with mild ASD are taking part. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 10 to 19 years, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Exergame Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 25 Apr 2025to 20 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 10 to 19 years
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Confirmed diagnosis of mild autism spectrum disorder (ASD), made by a child psychiatrist in accordance with DSM-5 criteria
- Adolescent age
- Competed in national table tennis competitions at least once
- No orthopaedic disability
- Not engaging in any exercise or training other than table tennis training Parental consent obtained
Who cannot join
- Orthopaedic disability
- Participation in exercise or training other than table tennis
- Absence of parental consent
- Absence of a confirmed ASD diagnosis
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Exergame-Supported Training on Reaction Time and Agility in Adolescent Table Tennis Players With Autism Spectrum Disorder
This study looks at whether a type of exercise video game, called an exergame, can help adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who play table tennis react faster and move more quickly (agility) during play. Twenty-four adolescent male table tennis players with mild ASD are taking part. Half of them add 20 minutes of exergame training, using a light-based reaction device, to their usual table tennis practice twice a week for 8 weeks. The other half continue their usual table tennis practice only, without the exergame. Reaction time is measured using a light-based reaction device, and agility is measured using a standard running drill (the T-test), before and after the 8-week period. This study aims to find out whether exergame training added to regular practice can help young table tennis players with ASD react and move faster during matches.
Read the detailed description
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with a high prevalence of motor impairments, including deficits in reaction time and agility, both of which are key determinants of performance in table tennis. Despite the growing participation of individuals with ASD in competitive table tennis, no prior study has examined whether exergame-based training can improve these two performance components in this population.
This study uses a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group (allocation is by training centre rather than individual randomization, as sufficient eligible participants were not available at a single centre). Participants in the exercise group replace 20 minutes of their routine training with exergame training using a commercially available light-reaction device (BlazePod), delivered one-to-one under their usual club coach's supervision, twice weekly for 8 weeks across four progressively increasing difficulty levels (16 sessions total, 320 minutes of exergame training). The control group continues routine table tennis training only, matched for total session duration. Training protocols were developed by a multidisciplinary team including table tennis coaches experienced with athletes with disabilities and a special education expert, and all coaches received a standardised briefing and training manual before the intervention began.
Outcomes are assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Reaction time is assessed with the same light-reaction device used in training, and agility is assessed with a standard T-test protocol using photoelectric timing.
Reporting follows CONSORT 2010 guidance as closely as applicable to a non-randomized design, supplemented by the TREND statement for non-randomized designs.
- Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Being tested
- Exergame Training
- Keywords
- Exergame, Reaction time, Video game-based exercise, Agility, Autism spectrum disorder, Motor skills
- Medical subject headings
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Exergame TrainingBehavioural
Sensor-based exergame training using the BlazePod system (BlazePod Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel), a light-reaction device with pods that illuminate according to programmable parameters (colour, duration, randomisation). Participants extinguished lit pods as quickly as possible using their hand (weeks 1 of each difficulty level) or a table tennis bat (week 2 of each difficulty level). Pod spacing and set duration (20-50 seconds) increased progressively across 4 difficulty levels over 8 weeks. Sessions were delivered one-to-one, supervised by the participant's own club coach following a standardised training manual and briefing.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | Arm Description: Participants continued their routine table tennis training only (50 minutes per session), twice weekly for 8 weeks, with no exergame component added. |
| Exergame Training Group | Experimental | Participants continued their routine table tennis training (30 minutes per session) and additionally undertook 20 minutes of exergame training using a light-reaction device (BlazePod), delivered one-to-one under supervision of their club coach, twice weekly for 8 weeks across 4 progressively increasing difficulty levels (16 sessions total; 320 minutes of exergame training). Receives: Behavioral: Exergame Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Reaction Time
Outcome Measure Description: Average reaction time measured using the BlazePod light-reaction system. Pods were secured to the table in a triangular pattern at 20 cm intervals. Using the device's "random mode," "single colour (blue)," and "15 seconds" settings, participants extinguished illuminated pods as quickly as possible with their dominant hand; average reaction time was recorded as the performance metric.
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week training programme (post-intervention)
Agility
Outcome Measure Description: Agility measured using the T-test protocol. A cone was placed 9.14 m from the starting point, with two additional cones placed 4.57 m to the right and left of it. Participants ran straight to the second cone, side-shuffled to the third, fourth, and back to the second cone, then ran backward to the start. Time to complete the course was recorded using a photoelectric electronic stopwatch (accuracy 0.01 s).
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week training programme (post-intervention)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Height
Height (cm) will be recorded as a descriptive anthropometric variable for the study sample, assessed to characterise participants and to check for between-group differences unrelated to the training intervention.
Measured: Baseline and post-intervention (Week 8)
Body Weight
Body weight (kg) will be recorded as a descriptive anthropometric variable for the study sample, assessed to characterise participants and to check for between-group differences unrelated to the training intervention.
Measured: Baseline and post-intervention (Week 8)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Aug 2026
- Study start25 Apr 2025
- Primary completion15 Jul 2026
- Study completion20 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Autism Spectrum DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Monira Aldhahi, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07765277
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PNU-15
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Exergame-Supported Training on Reaction Time and Agility in Adolescent Table Tennis Players With Autism Spectrum Disorder
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07765277
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PNU-15
- Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Keywords
- Exergame, Reaction time, Video game-based exercise, Agility, Autism spectrum disorder, Motor skills
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 25 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study looks at whether a type of exercise video game, called an exergame, can help adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who play table tennis react faster and move more quickly (agility) during play. Twenty-four adolescent male table tennis players with mild ASD are taking part. Half of them add 20 minutes of exergame training, using a light-based reaction device, to their usual table tennis practice twice a week for 8 weeks. The other half continue their usual table tennis practice only, without the exergame. Reaction time is measured using a light-based reaction device, and agility is measured using a standard running drill (the T-test), before and after the 8-week period. This study aims to find out whether exergame training added to regular practice can help young table tennis players with ASD react and move faster during matches.
Detailed description
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with a high prevalence of motor impairments, including deficits in reaction time and agility, both of which are key determinants of performance in table tennis. Despite the growing participation of individuals with ASD in competitive table tennis, no prior study has examined whether exergame-based training can improve these two performance components in this population.
This study uses a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group (allocation is by training centre rather than individual randomization, as sufficient eligible participants were not available at a single centre). Participants in the exercise group replace 20 minutes of their routine training with exergame training using a commercially available light-reaction device (BlazePod), delivered one-to-one under their usual club coach's supervision, twice weekly for 8 weeks across four progressively increasing difficulty levels (16 sessions total, 320 minutes of exergame training). The control group continues routine table tennis training only, matched for total session duration. Training protocols were developed by a multidisciplinary team including table tennis coaches experienced with athletes with disabilities and a special education expert, and all coaches received a standardised briefing and training manual before the intervention began.
Outcomes are assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Reaction time is assessed with the same light-reaction device used in training, and agility is assessed with a standard T-test protocol using photoelectric timing.
Reporting follows CONSORT 2010 guidance as closely as applicable to a non-randomized design, supplemented by the TREND statement for non-randomized designs.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | –Arm Description: Participants continued their routine table tennis training only (50 minutes per session), twice weekly for 8 weeks, with no exergame component added. |
| Exergame Training Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Exergame TrainingParticipants continued their routine table tennis training (30 minutes per session) and additionally undertook 20 minutes of exergame training using a light-reaction device (BlazePod), delivered one-to-one under supervision of their club coach, twice weekly for 8 weeks across 4 progressively increasing difficulty levels (16 sessions total; 320 minutes of exergame training). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 10 to 19 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Confirmed diagnosis of mild autism spectrum disorder (ASD), made by a child psychiatrist in accordance with DSM-5 criteria
- Adolescent age
- Competed in national table tennis competitions at least once
- No orthopaedic disability
- Not engaging in any exercise or training other than table tennis training Parental consent obtained
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Orthopaedic disability
- Participation in exercise or training other than table tennis
- Absence of parental consent
- Absence of a confirmed ASD diagnosis
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Exergame TrainingSensor-based exergame training using the BlazePod system (BlazePod Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel), a light-reaction device with pods that illuminate according to programmable parameters (colour, duration, randomisation). Participants extinguished lit pods as quickly as possible using their hand (weeks 1 of each difficulty level) or a table tennis bat (week 2 of each difficulty level). Pod spacing and set duration (20-50 seconds) increased progressively across 4 difficulty levels over 8 weeks. Sessions were delivered one-to-one, supervised by the participant's own club coach following a standardised training manual and briefing. | Behavioural | Exergame Training Group |
Primary outcome
Reaction Time
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week training programme (post-intervention)
Outcome Measure Description: Average reaction time measured using the BlazePod light-reaction system. Pods were secured to the table in a triangular pattern at 20 cm intervals. Using the device's "random mode," "single colour (blue)," and "15 seconds" settings, participants extinguished illuminated pods as quickly as possible with their dominant hand; average reaction time was recorded as the performance metric.
Agility
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week training programme (post-intervention)
Outcome Measure Description: Agility measured using the T-test protocol. A cone was placed 9.14 m from the starting point, with two additional cones placed 4.57 m to the right and left of it. Participants ran straight to the second cone, side-shuffled to the third, fourth, and back to the second cone, then ran backward to the start. Time to complete the course was recorded using a photoelectric electronic stopwatch (accuracy 0.01 s).
2 secondary outcomes
Height
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (Week 8)
Body Weight
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (Week 8)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exergame Training in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Reaction Time (time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 8-week training programme (post-intervention)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2026.