Brief Report: Family Recreation for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Participation in recreation activities is an important contributor to quality of life and well-being. However, recreation participation and satisfaction are reduced among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to barriers at the individual and environmental level. Community-based recreation events offer inclusive solutions but remain understudied. This study sought to examine families' goals for participation, explore their perspectives and evaluate their satisfaction following participation in a series of community-based recreation events. Anonymous data was collected for 53 attendees. Following quantitative and qualitative analysis, three primary goals for participation were identified: desire for an inclusive space, socialisation and spending time as a family in the community. Three similar themes emerged as the most valuable aspects of the events: non-judgemental environment, networking and social interaction, and fun activities. Lastly, aspects that participants disliked were categorised into five themes: environmental characteristics, opportunities for structured interaction, food options, geographical distance and incompatibility with age and/or interest. Overall, families were satisfied with the events, likely to attend again, and likely to recommend to others. The implications of the study's findings are discussed, including considerations for improving community-based recreation events for individuals with ASD and directions for future study.