The Effects of Functional Power Training in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study is aimed to investigate the effectiveness of functional power training on attention, gross and fine motor skill, participation and quality of life in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by comparing traditional strength training and their healthy peers. In the literature, there are limited studies that investigate the effect of power exercise in children with ADHD. But there is no randomized controlled trial include power exercises which is designed to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) criteria and investigate the effects on attention, gross and fine motor skill, participation and quality of life in children with ADHD. This study hypothesizes that power exercises could improve attention, gross and fine motor skill, participation, and quality of life better than traditional strength training in children with ADHD.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. These core symptoms cause poor gross and fine motor skills. Recent critical review results suggest that motor performance not only consists of motor response activation. It also includes mental representation of activity, attention, memory, makes decisions, and control over preponderant responses. These findings support that ADHD symptoms could affect motor performance negatively. DSM-V (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) also specifies the relationship between ADHD symptoms and poor motor performance. DSM-V pointed out motor difficulties that occur in ADHD are caused by inattention and impulsivity rather than neurological origin. In the literature, Tseng et al. investigated ADHD symptom's negative effect on motor performance in 42 school-aged children with ADHD. Tseng et al.'s study was shown that inattention and impulsivity were determinative symptoms for motor difficulties. Because of the ADHD's symptoms' effect on the motor skill, children with ADHD have poor fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination, strength, and agility when they are compared with health peers. These motor difficulties affect the academic, social, and daily life of children with ADHD. They have many restrictions on participation of daily living activities, school, social and sport activities and have decreased quality of life scores. It is considered that these symptoms of ADHD related to catecholamine systems. Jeyanthi et al. suggest that exercises both directly and indirectly affects catecholamine systems. In the literature, there are many studies that was included different exercise interventions involving children with ADHD. Many of the studies were shown that exercise had positive effects on ADHD symptoms. However, there is not enough information about the type, duration, intensity, and frequency of appropriate exercises. Power exercises can be an appropriate approach given the previously reported problems in children with ADHD. This type of exercise shown positive effects on the other populations (CP). The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of power exercises on children with ADHD by comparing these effects with traditional strength training and their healthy peers.