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Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample

RORY TUCKER, Claire Williams Orcid Logo, Phil Reed Orcid Logo

PLOS ONE, Volume: 20, Issue: 2, Start page: e0314508

Swansea University Authors: RORY TUCKER, Claire Williams Orcid Logo, Phil Reed Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1371/journal.pone.0314508

Abstract

Given the limitations associated with existing treatments for Attention Deficit/Hyperactive disorder (ADHD), Physical Activity (PA) has been considered as an adjunct therapeutic option. Previous research has generally found that PA reduces ADHD symptoms in children. However, much less research has e...

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ISSN: 1932-6203
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68278
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spelling 2025-02-14T10:41:46.6921670 v2 68278 2024-11-14 Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample 96493e2261a7fcd53950db98c60cf6f5 RORY TUCKER RORY TUCKER true false 21dc2ebf100cf324becc27e8db6fde8d 0000-0002-0791-744X Claire Williams Claire Williams true false 100599ab189b514fdf99f9b4cb477a83 0000-0002-8157-0747 Phil Reed Phil Reed true false 2024-11-14 Given the limitations associated with existing treatments for Attention Deficit/Hyperactive disorder (ADHD), Physical Activity (PA) has been considered as an adjunct therapeutic option. Previous research has generally found that PA reduces ADHD symptoms in children. However, much less research has explored the same effects in adults, and especially females, with ADHD. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between PA and ADHD in adults, and whether any relationship was moderated by proxy diagnostic ADHD group, as well as exploring the roles of motivation and forms of exercise. 268 participants completed an online survey measuring proxy ADHD diagnosis; ADHD symptomatology; PA level; forms of exercise performed, and motivation for exercise. In contrast to previous research performed with child participants (which frequently found significant negative correlations), there was no significant relationship between PA level and total ADHD symptomatology in adults, but there was a significant negative correlation between PA level and inattentive ADHD symptomatology. The strength of relationship between PA level and ADHD symptomatology did not differ based on ADHD proxy diagnostic grouping; PA level based on motivation type; or PA level based on total forms of exercise performed. However, it may be that clear relationships between PA and ADHD symptomatology are not easily identifiable in adult populations when only broad, nonspecific variables/measures are used (e.g., only measuring ADHD symptoms as a continuous total score, rather than considering inattentive/hyperactive symptoms separately). Therefore, greater differentiation between ADHD symptoms and subject characteristics (such as gender) might be required to better establish potential relationships and effects in this area, and better inform any potential PA based treatments. Journal Article PLOS ONE 20 2 e0314508 Public Library of Science (PLoS) 1932-6203 11 2 2025 2025-02-11 10.1371/journal.pone.0314508 COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) Swansea University 2025-02-14T10:41:46.6921670 2024-11-14T17:05:46.3239712 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology RORY TUCKER 1 Claire Williams 0000-0002-0791-744X 2 Phil Reed 0000-0002-8157-0747 3 68278__33588__55083bd8e6764e58a22192cf8de7db90.pdf 68278.VOR.pdf 2025-02-14T10:38:27.5491432 Output 871648 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2025 Tucker et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0). true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
spellingShingle Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
RORY TUCKER
Claire Williams
Phil Reed
title_short Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
title_full Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
title_fullStr Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
title_full_unstemmed Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
title_sort Association of exercise and ADHD symptoms: Analysis within an adult general population sample
author_id_str_mv 96493e2261a7fcd53950db98c60cf6f5
21dc2ebf100cf324becc27e8db6fde8d
100599ab189b514fdf99f9b4cb477a83
author_id_fullname_str_mv 96493e2261a7fcd53950db98c60cf6f5_***_RORY TUCKER
21dc2ebf100cf324becc27e8db6fde8d_***_Claire Williams
100599ab189b514fdf99f9b4cb477a83_***_Phil Reed
author RORY TUCKER
Claire Williams
Phil Reed
author2 RORY TUCKER
Claire Williams
Phil Reed
format Journal article
container_title PLOS ONE
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institution Swansea University
issn 1932-6203
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publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
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description Given the limitations associated with existing treatments for Attention Deficit/Hyperactive disorder (ADHD), Physical Activity (PA) has been considered as an adjunct therapeutic option. Previous research has generally found that PA reduces ADHD symptoms in children. However, much less research has explored the same effects in adults, and especially females, with ADHD. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between PA and ADHD in adults, and whether any relationship was moderated by proxy diagnostic ADHD group, as well as exploring the roles of motivation and forms of exercise. 268 participants completed an online survey measuring proxy ADHD diagnosis; ADHD symptomatology; PA level; forms of exercise performed, and motivation for exercise. In contrast to previous research performed with child participants (which frequently found significant negative correlations), there was no significant relationship between PA level and total ADHD symptomatology in adults, but there was a significant negative correlation between PA level and inattentive ADHD symptomatology. The strength of relationship between PA level and ADHD symptomatology did not differ based on ADHD proxy diagnostic grouping; PA level based on motivation type; or PA level based on total forms of exercise performed. However, it may be that clear relationships between PA and ADHD symptomatology are not easily identifiable in adult populations when only broad, nonspecific variables/measures are used (e.g., only measuring ADHD symptoms as a continuous total score, rather than considering inattentive/hyperactive symptoms separately). Therefore, greater differentiation between ADHD symptoms and subject characteristics (such as gender) might be required to better establish potential relationships and effects in this area, and better inform any potential PA based treatments.
published_date 2025-02-11T08:14:35Z
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