健身運動被認為可以促進一般人的生理與心理健康，然而對於自閉症類群，是否也有同樣的效益值得關注。本研究回顧21篇運動或身體活動對自閉症類群個體的影響之相關文獻，針對五個常用的電子資料庫進行搜尋，並以出版年份、對象、運動方式及介入後結果等四個條件作為挑選標準。文獻回顧後發現：最主要之運動介入的方式為水中運動及慢跑；運動介入後可以減少固執行為、侵略行為，還可以促進身體適能、動作技巧、人際互動、溝通技巧與課堂參與。而運動促成正向行為增加的改變機制，目前是從神經生理科學或認知神經科學的角度去推論，但確切之機制仍不明確。建議在未來研究上，可以利用明確之身體活動類型、頻率、時間與強度並配合標準化測驗，找出有利於自閉族群的較佳運動處方，使其行為獲得改善，並進一步了解其間的機制。

It is generally agreed that exercise promotes physical and mental health in nonclinical populations. However, the benefits of exercise in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) require further investigation. This review retrieved 21 empirical studies that focused on exercise in ASD from five databases. These studies were evaluated in four terms of: date of publication, participant characteristics, type of exercise, and outcomes. The result showed that the majority of exercise activities employed were aquatic exercising and jogging. Further, exercise interventions decreased stereotype and aggression while increased physical fitness, personal interaction, communication skill, and academic responding. Although still remains undetermined, the mechanisms for the benefits of exercise on ASD could be explored from both cognitive neuroscience and neurophysiological perspectives. A systematic research scheme to develop sensitive assessment tools as well as to specify types, duration, intensity, and frequency of physical activity for determining the mechanism between physical exercise and appropriate behavior is recommended for future research.