EFFECTS OF AN EXERCISE AND MINDFULNESS PROGRAMME ON SYMPTOMS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER IN BOYS AGED 9-11 YEARS
Liza Jovičevič, Maks Tušak, Matej Majerič
Kinesiologia Slovenica July 29, 2024 DOI: 10.52165/kinsi.30.2.39-55 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 39 |
| Population | ADHD-diagnosed boys aged 10 (±1) years |
| Interventions | Physical exercise Mindfulness training |
| Duration | Twice a week for 60 minutes over 3 months |
| Measures | ASEBA CBCL/6-18 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both the combined physical exercise and mindfulness training group and the control group showed statistically significant reductions in ADHD symptom expression (p<0.001) on short- and long-term measures, but symptom expression was significantly lower in the experimental group. The authors suggest the intervention could be used in professional therapeutic treatment of children with ADHD. |
Abstract
ADHD is the most common behavioral disorder in children. Some professional therapeutic treatment (PTT) of ADHD includes also physical exercise (PE) and mindfulness training (MT). In this study we have combined both. The sample included 20 subjects in the experimental (EG) and 19 in the control group (CG). All subjects were ADHD diagnosed boys, aged 10(±1) years. The intervention of the EG used PE and MT, while the CG intervention used unsystematic emotion education. The intervention took place twice a week for 60 minutes over the 3 months. The subjects' expression of ADHD symptoms was measured with the ASEBA CBCL/6-18 protocol (2023). Statistical analyses were calculated using IBM SPSS 25. Differences in the expression of ADHD symptoms between the groups were calculated using the Mann-Whitney rank test for independent samples. There were found no statistically significant differences (p=0.378). The short-term effect of the intervention was calculated using a two-factor ANOVA. On the symptom expression measures we found SSD (p<0.001) in both groups. There were significantly lower ADHD symptom expression in the EG. The same method was used to determine the long-term intervention effect. On both measures symptoms were a statistically significant (p<0.001) lower expressed in the EG. The magnitude of ADHD symptom expression was statistically significant (p<0.001) in both groups on both post-intervention measurements, but the symptom magnitude was significantly higher in the CG. Based on the findings, we suggest that such a systematic intervention could be used in modern PTT of children with ADHD.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |