Adapted Judo for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

AUTJUDO is a project aimed chiefly at children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), but also at their families and the institutions that work with them. The project’s mission is to foster social inclusiveness and to offer this population the opportunity to take part in athletic activity under conditions of full equality.

The heart of the project consists of the design and implementation of an adapted judo programme in six countries. It will reach about 300 children and will make use of instructors and volunteers. The implementation of the programme will represent an opportunity to validate research instruments for use among the population with ASD, to observe and record the physical, motor and psychosocial benefits of this activity for members of this population.

It will also make it possible to gather data on the prevalence of injuries sustained when participating in adapted judo and to design and publish handbooks of best practices in the instruction of adapted judo for persons with ASD and in the organization of competitions for these athletes.

The results obtained will be communicated via reports and scientific articles that will provide evidence that participation in judo can improve the quality of life of people with ASD. The project will also result in the creation of educational materials that will make it possible to replicate the experience throughout the EU countries.