INFAD (May 2018)

Effect of a program of Physical Activity of high intensity in the selective attention of young people with ADHD

  • Sara Suárez-Manzano

DOI
https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2018.n1.v3.1271
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 269 – 278

Abstract

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The aim of this study was to analyse the short-term effect of 16 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in the selective care of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study has a randomized experimental design. The sample consisted of 20 children diagnosed with ADHD (6-12 years). The control group (n = 10) watched a documentary video and the experimental group (n = 10) did 16 minutes HIIT with cardiac monitor (80-95% maximum heart rate). Selective attention was measured using the d2 test. The analysis of repeated measures ANOVA 2 times (pre-test vs. post-test) × 2 groups (control group vs. experimental group). The results have shown that practicing 16 minutes of HIIT has an effect of immediate improvement in attention, decreasing the number of omissions and errors and increasing the number of correct answers. It is concluded that performing 16 minutes of HIIT improves immediate selective attention in school children diagnosed with ADHD. It is recommended to promote the practice of physical exercise in the educational context, specifically, to perform 16 minutes of HIIT at the beginning of the school day. This exercise of short duration and that does not require great material or human resources could help to improve the attention and motivation of children in class.

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