Motor performance and fitness of children with an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

The purpose of this study was to describe the gross motor and fitness characteristics of children with an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nineteen children with an ADHD, between the ages of 7 years, 0 months and 12 years, 11 months (M = 9 years, 4 months) participated in this study. The 17 boys and 2 girls had IQs between 80 to 100, were not affected by specific learning disabilities, and behavioral problems were the primary reason for acceptance into their clinical center. Children with additional psychiatric diagnoses were excluded. All children were tested individually. Gross motor performance was measured by the Test of Gross Motor Development (Ulrich, 1985). Fitness variables were measured by selected items from the Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness (1986), the Canada Fitness Survey (1985), the CAHPER Fitness-Performance II Test (1980), and The Twenty Meter Shuttle Run Test (Leger et al., 1984). A counterbalanced Latin-Square testing order was used to avoid practice effects. Statistical analysis involved converting raw scores to percentile scores which were graphed to provide individual and group profiles of performance. The present study identified the physical fitness and gross motor performance of these children as below average.Programming implications and recommendations for future study are provided