Effects of Physical Activity on Inhibitory Function in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A
Meng Wang1, Xinyue Yang2, Jing Yu2
1Department of Physical Education, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Physical activity (PA) significantly improves inhibitory function in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specific exercise types and durations, like 60+ minutes twice weekly, show the best results for enhancing this cognitive skill.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with significant deficits in inhibitory control, impacting daily functioning.
- Understanding modifiable factors that can improve inhibitory function in children with ADHD is crucial for effective interventions.
Approach:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized data from 11 experimental studies involving 713 children with ADHD.
- Comprehensive literature searches were conducted across major scientific databases up to May 2022.
Key Points:
- Physical activity (PA) demonstrated a significant positive effect on the inhibitory function of children with ADHD (SMD = 0.78).
- Intervention effectiveness varied based on PA frequency, intensity, duration, type, and overall length.
- Longitudinal, open-skill exercises exceeding 60 minutes, twice weekly, yielded the most substantial improvements.
Conclusions:
- Physical activity is a viable and effective intervention for enhancing inhibitory control, particularly interference suppression, in children with ADHD.
- Tailoring PA interventions based on specific parameters can optimize outcomes for children with ADHD.
Abstract:
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of physical activity (PA) on inhibitory function in children with ADHD. Experimental studies on the effect of PA on the inhibitory function of children with ADHD were retrieved. The data were obtained from PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EBSCO (MEDLINE, APA Psyclnfo, ERIC), Embase, Scopus, and ProQuest. The search period was from the date of inception of the respective databases to 4 May 2022, and Reviewer Manager software (version 5.3) was used for analysis. Eleven articles and 713 samples were included in the meta-analysis. Results revealed that PA can significantly improve the inhibitory function of children with ADHD (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.45−1.10, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the effectiveness of PA as an intervention in improving the inhibitory function of children with ADHD was moderated by the frequency, intensity, duration, type, and length of intervention. Based on the findings, PA can effectively improve interference suppression inhibitory function in children with ADHD. Longitudinal open-skill exercise for 60 min or more, two times/week has the best effect on improving inhibitory function in children with ADHD.
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