A Sensory-Profile Framework for Differentiated Swim Instruction in Autistic Children

July 8, 2026 updated by: Genesis Indep Research

A Sensory-Profile Framework for Differentiated Swim Instruction in Autistic Children: A Randomized Controlled Study With Nonverbal Learner Findings

Autistic children drown at one-hundred sixty times the rate of their neurotypical peers: a public health crisis that the adapted learning field has only addressed by demonstrating that standard swimming instruction sometimes works for autistic children. This study presents a three-profile framework (sensory-seeking/hyposensitive, sensory-avoidant/hypersensitive, variable/mixed) founded in sensory processing literature, based on ~950 lessons to 65 autistic children (ages 3-15) to determine why this disjunction exists, and how swim instructors can fix it.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

95

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Kentucky
      • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40299
        • Genesis

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • ASD

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neurotypical

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: sensory-profile framework

Profile 1: Hyposensitive. Students of this profile pursue full-body pressure because their sensory systems under-register input. The instructional challenge for these children is not entry, but instead channeling that drive for stimulation toward skill acquisition. Yilmaz et al. (2004) documented proprioceptive gains from structured, repetitive swimming, which is precisely the kind of input these children seek but need sensory-based instruction to hone.

Profile 2: Hypersensitive. Hypersensitive children are the ones for whom one wrong splash early on might end the lesson. Yet Vonder Hulls et al. (2006) found measurable improvements in touch tolerance following aquatic therapy. Their best mechanism for instruction is controlled and consensual exposure, not forced desensitization.
Behavioral: sensory-based instruction
This study provided sensory-based instruction to children with ASD to increase aquatics-based learning efficiency
Active Comparator: control
Normal non-sensory-based instruction for the autistic children
Behavioral: standard instruction
standard swim instruction with no neurological accommodations

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
(1) lessons to 5-meter unassisted float/kick;
Time Frame: 10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
(2) percentage of sessions ending 10+ minutes early due to apparent dysregulation;
Time Frame: 10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
(3) week-4 composite trust score (1-10 score: 10=highest);
Time Frame: 10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
(4) technique corrections accepted per session without protest.
Time Frame: 10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks
10 lessons for each participant; 10-14 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Genesis Indep Research

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 15, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 15, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

May 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 27, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 8, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 8, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IRB00014585

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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