The Effects of a 12-week Program of Dance, Yoga, and Mindful Movement for Adults Aged 18-35 With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Rationale: A structured literature search was conducted to characterize the existing evidence base prior to designing this study. A PubMed search for "dance, Yoga and mindful movement" conducted on 5/12/2025 returned three results, of which two were relevant and pertained to movement-to-music and adapted yoga in people with multiple sclerosis rather than ASD. This informed the design of the present study as a formal evaluation of a multimodal movement program delivered as a non-invasive, non-treatment-based lifestyle intervention.

Design: This is a non-randomized, open-label, single-arm interventional study using a pre-/post-intervention, within-subjects design. There is no control or comparison group; each participant serves as their own comparator, with self-report data collected at baseline and at program end to characterize within-participant change. The study is classified as non-significant risk. Planned enrollment is 20-40 participants, all assigned to the single intervention arm.

Intervention structure: The intervention is a 12-week program delivered as one 60-minute in-person session per week at the USC Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center. The intended delivery model uses four instructors supporting a class of 20-40 participants, allowing adaptive, individualized support within a group setting. Each weekly session follows a consistent but flexible sequence that integrates yoga, dance, and mindfulness-based movement, with individual components mapped to specific intended mechanisms:

• Music-free greeting and quiet closing to anchor the session and promote social interaction, community, and belonging
• Opening meditation, periodic breath check-ins, cool-down, and savasana to support self-regulation and somatic integration
• Qi Gong and tactile grounding exercises to warm the body and enhance body awareness
• A brief asana sequence (e.g., mountain, warrior, modified tree, hands-over-heart grounding)
• Cross-lateral movement and developmental movement patterns (core-distal work, homo-lateral sequencing, weekly mirror exercises) intended to provide neurological stimulation and engage midline-crossing and mirror-neuron activity
• Weekly group line-dance choreography with new steps added each week, intended to engage memory, executive function, and spatial and social awareness
• Structured improvisation to participant-selected music to encourage autonomy, expression, and novel movement patterns The session architecture is held constant week to week to support predictability and participant comfort, while choreography and movement material accumulate progressively across the 12 weeks.

Assessment schedule and participant burden: Self-report assessments are administered at two timepoints - baseline (Week 0-1), conducted alongside eligibility screening, and post-program (Week 12-13), which includes follow-up testing and a reflective interview on program outcomes. The assessment battery is expected to take approximately 30-60 minutes at each timepoint. Participants complete the battery twice and attend up to 12 weekly intervention sessions over the study period.