Effects of physical activity on executive function and motor performance in children with ADHD
Abstract
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often show major deficits in motor and cognitive abilities. Pharmacological treatment is commonly used to reduce ADHD symptoms. However, non-pharmacologic treatment methods would be preferred by parents, children and psychiatrists. Physical activity (PA) has been demonstrated to improve cognitive functioning in healthy populations. It can be hypothesized that there are similar beneficial effects in children with ADHD, however, very little is known about this issue. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether PA improves cognitive performance in children with ADHD. A total of 43 children with ADHD (32 boys and 11 girls) aged between seven and 12 years took part in the study. To investigate whether potential effects on executive functioning depend on the kind of PA, two different 12-week training programs were implemented. The study-design consisted of two experimental groups (EG1, n=13; EG2, n=14) and a wait-list control group (CG, n=16). Participants in EG1 took part in a training which focused on the abilities ball handling, balance and manual dexterity. Participants in EG2 group were trained in sports without a specific focus. The children in the CG group received no intervention. Participants completed assessments of working memory (WM) and motor performance before, immediately after the first training week and one week after the last session. After the 12-week intervention period, several measures of the EG1 and EG2s significantly improved over time. Furthermore, between group comparisons demonstrated significant improvements in both EG1 and EG2 compared to the CG in variables assessing WM performance and motor performance. These findings support the hypothesis that long-term PA has a positive effect on executive functions of children with ADHD, regardless of the specificity of the PA. The outcomes indicated that regular PA can be used as a complementary or alternative non-pharmacologic treatment for ADHD.
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Ziereis and Jansen [5] reported no significant (p > 0.5) difference between the general and specific sports groups following the 12 weeks.
“However, no significant (p > 0.5) difference between the general and specific sports groups was reported following the 12 weeks.”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [5]
Ziereis and Jansen [5] found both general sports and specific sports interventions had a significant (p ≤ 0.05), positive effect on executive functioning compared to the control condition.
“Both interventions had a significant (p ≤ 0.05), positive effect on executive functioning compared to the control condition.”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [5]
Cites
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Computerized training of working memory in children with ADHD – a randomized, controlled trial
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Tan, B. W. Z., Pooley, J. A., & Speelman, C. P. (2016) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2854-x · Cited by 157 · see citing works
“Thus, future experimental studies could consider using a number of neuropsychological tasks to assess each EF domain (Ziereis and Jansen 2015) and if possible, to include a range of EF measures (see e.g., Smith et al. 2013).”
BackgroundMehren, A., Reichert, M., Coghill, D., Müller, H. H. O., Braun, N., & Philipsen, A. (2020) · Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation · doi:10.1186/s40479-019-0115-2 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
James, J., Pringle, A., Mourton, S., & Roscoe, C. M. P. (2023) · Children · doi:10.3390/children10061019 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
“Ziereis and Jansen, [5] compared executive functioning across three conditions: a general sports group (60 min of PA, 1 day per week for 12 weeks, with an emphasis on nonspecific sporting movements), a specific sports group (60 min of PA, 1 day per week for 12 weeks, with an emphasis on specific sports), and a control…”
Background
- Authors
- Ziereis, S., & Jansen, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Regensburg (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Ziereis, Susanne
- ORCID
- Jansen, Petra
- Venue
- Research in Developmental Disabilities
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-03
- Volume
- 38
- Pages
- 181-191
- ISSN
- 0891-4222 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2057241581
- Cited by
- 193
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 4
- FWCI
- 10.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research in Developmental Disabilities (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Regensburg Publication Server (University of Regensburg) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, physical activity, executive function, motor performance, working memory, children, non-pharmacological treatment, sports training, ball handling, balance, manual dexterity
- MeSH terms
- Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Exercise Therapy, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Motor Activity, Motor Skills, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychomotor Performance, Treatment Outcome, Executive Function
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