The current study investigated the relation between postural balance and performance of daily living skills (DLS) in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fifty-two youth with ASD (6–17 years; IQ ≥ 67) completed standardized balance testing and parent-reported DLS measures. Results showed a positive association between balance and DLS that was specific to youth with below-average IQ. While balance challenges were evident across the IQ spectrum, youth with above-average IQ did not exhibit an association between balance and DLS, perhaps suggestive of compensatory strategies implemented to offset balance challenges during daily-living tasks. These results underscore the need to better understand the contributions of motor challenges to DLS in youth with ASD within the context of broader cognitive and environmental factors.
