Association for Behavior Analysis International

This systematic review of the literature examined the academic and social effectiveness of using physical activity in school or classroom settings. The purpose of the systematic review is to enhance academic performance and social functioning for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by indicating the evidence-based practices that focused on the use of physical activity for children with ADHD in preschool and elementary school. The search was conducted electronically. This search resulted in 7 studies for the review, that were published between 2010 and 2019. The studies were analyzed by looking at the participants’ characteristics, setting, how physical activity was implemented including duration and sessions needed, and academic and social impact of physical activity on participants included in such studies. Participants in these studies were between the age of 4 to 12. Focusing only on study results related to participating children with ADHD, results indicated that the academic impact of school-based physical activity among children with ADHD was positive. On the other hand, only two studies indicated the positive effects of physical activity on social skills of children with ADHD. Several limitations and implications of this study are discussed.