Associations of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness with cognitive function, self-control, and resilience in young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Sibbick, Elise; Boat, Ruth; Sarkar, Mustafa; Johnston, Julie P.; Groom, Maddie; Williams, Ryan A.; Dring, Karah J.; Sun, Feng-Hua; Cooper, Simon B.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate if physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness influence cognition, self-control, and resilience in young people with ADHD. Fifty-four children with ADHD (12.8 ± 1.4 y) completed questionnaires to assess self-control and resilience, wore an accelerometer for 7 d to assess free-living physical activity, and completed a battery of cognitive function tasks and a multi-stage fitness test (cardiorespiratory fitness). Positive associations were found between cardiorespiratory fitness and attention, measured via performance on the simple Stroop task (r(52) = −0.386, p = 0.004) and the congruent Flanker task (r(52) = −0.302, p = 0.026), and inhibitory control, measured via performance on the incongruent level of the Flanker task (r(52) = −0.348, p = 0.010). Furthermore, a higher proportion of active time spent in highintensity activities (r(37) = 0.370, p = 0.021) were associated with higher self control. No associations were found between physical activity or cardiorespiratory fitness and resilience (all p > 0.05). These findings demonstrate the importance of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness for cognition and self-control in young people with ADHD.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 24, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 2, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-03
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 15, 2024
• Journal: Advanced Exercise and Health Science
• Electronic ISSN: 2950-273X
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 51-58
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aehs.2024.01.003
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/32466673
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950273X24000043