Song Xiangqin
*
Hou Yaoqi
Hong Liu
The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1522944
This article is part of the Research Topic Exploring Motor Imagery Across the Lifespan – Gaps Between Practical Applications and Theoretical Frameworks View all 3 articles
Exploring the Impact of Different Types of Exercise on Working Memory in Children with ADHD: A Network Meta-Analysis
Provisionally accepted- Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, often accompanied by working memory deficits. Recently, exercise interventions have gained attention as a potential strategy to improve cognitive function in children with ADHD. However, the effects of different types of exercise on working memory remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the effects of various exercise interventions on working memory in children with ADHD using a network meta-analysis.A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies. After screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 17 eligible studies were identified for analysis. A network meta-analysis was performed to integrate data and evaluate the effects of cognitive-aerobic exercise, ball games, mind-body exercises, interactive games, and general aerobic exercise on working memory in children with ADHD.The results indicated significant differences in the effectiveness of various types of exercise interventions on working memory in children with ADHD. Cognitive-aerobic exercise showed the most significant effect (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.44-1.00), followed by ball games (SMD = 0.61, 95% CI: -0.12-1.35). Mind-body exercises and interactive games had moderate effects (SMD = 0.50 and 0.37, respectively), while general aerobic exercise showed relatively small effects (SMD = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.19-0.60). SUCRA analysis further confirmed the highest preference for cognitive-aerobic exercise in improving working memory. Meta-regression analysis showed that intervention frequency and total intervention duration significantly affected the effectiveness of cognitive-aerobic exercise, while other variables did not significantly moderate the effects.Cognitive-aerobic exercise had the most significant effect on improving working memory in children with ADHD. Higher intervention frequency and longer intervention duration may enhance its effects. Future research should explore the impact of these factors and consider increasing sample sizes to validate the role of these moderators.
Keywords: physical activity, working memory, Children, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Network Meta-Analysis. 2
Received: 05 Nov 2024; Accepted: 08 Jan 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Xiangqin, Yaoqi, Wenying, Yan, Liu and Feifan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Song Xiangqin, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Shi Wenying, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Wang Yan, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Fan Feifan, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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