Benefits of dance as a leisure activity on the quality of life of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Analysis of the perceptions of coexistence professionals

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) mainly affects communication, learning and social behaviour. In addition, a high percentage of people with ASD have a mental illness, increasing their risk of social exclusion. It is the responsibility of social and educational institutions to offer interventions that improve their quality of life (QoL). The aim of the study is to evaluate the possible benefits that a Dance Movement Therapy and creative as a leisure practice brings to the QoL of people with ASD, based on the responses of the professionals who live with them. A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research is developed through focus groups with a sample made up of nine professionals who live with them. The analysis was carried out with MAXQDA. The results ofthe analysis of the educators’ perceptions show benefits in the emotional well-being and physical well-being dimensions and reflect the need to implement prolonged and personalized programs for the transfer of these improvements to daily life, thus favouring interpersonal relationships and social inclusion. It is concluded that dance is very valuable as a leisure practice, improving the QoL of these group, as well as the importance of considering the voices of professionals in interventions in real contexts