Method: Participants were divided into three groups: ADHD-training (n = 12), ADHD-non-training (n = 12), and typically developing (TD) non-training (n = 24). The exercise intervention lesson held once per week and had a two-part focus: 60-minute of simulated developmental horse-riding program and 30-minute of physical fitness training. All participants received baseline and post-condition assessments using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition (BOT-2) and the BROCKPORT Physical Fitness Test. For the pre-training, one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed to evaluate the statistical significance of differences between the groups for the BOT-2 and fitness results, respectively. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for pre-training differences, was used to compare the post-evaluations among groups. Paired t-tests were used to assess the change between the baseline and the post-training evaluations within each group. Effects sizes (Cohen’s d) were computed to quantify the magnitude of changes on all dependent measures within groups. A significance criterion was set at p < .01.
Analysis/Results: The main findings were that (a) for the pre-training data, both ADHD groups had significantly lower scores on all motor proficiency measures than TD group except upper-limb coordination and balance subtests, and there were no significant differences between the ADHD groups, (b) after accounting for pre-training differences, MANCOVA on total motor composite score indicated that both ADHD groups performing significantly worse than the TD group, and the ADHD-non-training group was significantly worse than the ADHD-training group (F = 21.15, p < .01), (c) ANCOVA on fitness measures indicated that the ADHD-training group had significantly higher scores on 20-m Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) (F = 6.66, p < .01) and sit-and-reach (right leg, F = 8.42, p < .01; left leg, F = 8.69, p < .01; left leg) than the ADHD-non-training group at post-evaluations, and (d) the ADHD-training group demonstrated significant improvements (small to large effect sizes; all Cohen’s d value >= 0.2) on all motor proficiency and physical fitness measures after the intervention.
Conclusions: Specific interventions to maximize motor proficiency and physical fitness in youths with ADHD are urgently needed.
Supported by Taiwan NSC grants 101-2410-H-017-027-MY2.