The Differential Impact of Acute Exercise and Mindfulness Meditation on Executive Functioning and Psycho-Emotional Well-Being in Children and Youth With ADHD
Hannah Bigelow, Marcus D. Gottlieb, Michelle Ogrodnik, Jeffrey D. Graham, Barbara Fenesi
Frontiers in Psychology June 14, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.660845 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Children and youth with ADHD aged 10–14 (male = 11; White = 80%) |
| Interventions | Exercise Mindfulness meditation Reading (control) |
| Duration | 10 min per intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Acute exercise Psycho-emotional well-being Mindfulness meditation Executive functioning Inhibition |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation improved performance on all executive functioning tasks (inhibitory control, working memory, task-switching) whereas exercise and reading did not (d = 0.55–0.86). Exercise enhanced positive mood and self-efficacy whereas the other interventions did not (d = 0.22–0.35). The authors describe these as preliminary evidence that the two interventions support differential aspects of functioning in children and youth with ADHD. |
Abstract
This study investigated how acute exercise and mindfulness meditation impacts executive functioning and psycho-emotional well-being in 16 children and youth with ADHD aged 10–14 (male = 11; White = 80%). Participants completed three interventions: 10 min of exercise, 10 min of mindfulness meditation, and 10 min of reading (control). Before and after each intervention, executive functioning (inhibitory control, working memory, task-switching) and psycho-emotional well-being (mood, self-efficacy) were assessed. Mindfulness meditation increased performance on all executive functioning tasks whereas the other interventions did not (d = 0.55–0.86). Exercise enhanced positive mood and self-efficacy whereas the other interventions did not (d = 0.22–0.35). This work provides preliminary evidence for how acute exercise and mindfulness meditation can support differential aspects of executive and psycho-emotional functioning among children and youth with ADHD.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Mindfulness Practice with a Brain-Sensing Device Improved Cognitive Functioning of Elementary School Children: An Exploratory Pilot Study Brain Sciences January 12, 2022
- A Systematic Review of Yoga and Meditation for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children. Cureus March 1, 2023
- Educating Through Attentional States of Consciousness, an Effective Way to Develop Creative Potential? Frontiers in Education March 17, 2022
- The impact of mindfulness therapy in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a systematic review ( El impacto de la terapia mindfulness en personas con Trastorno por Déficit de Atención/Hiperactividad (TDAH): una revisión sistemática ) Journal for the Study of Education and Development Infancia y Aprendizaje May 2, 2023
- The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Children’s Executive Functions: An Updated Meta-Analysis Mindfulness August 19, 2026
and 7 more in the library
Cites 17
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Physical Activity, Mindfulness Meditation, or Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Stress Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Trial Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback June 25, 2015
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Behavioral Problems and Attentional Functioning in Adolescents with ADHD Journal of Child and Family Studies September 21, 2011
and 12 more in the library