Date of Award

11-2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Teaching and Learning Sciences, Child, Family, and School Psychology

First Advisor

Gloria Miller

Keywords

ADHD, Child psychology, Physical activity

Abstract

Understanding factors that may help students with ADHD with academic challenges such as homework is an important step in treating ADHD. Research suggests that physical activity/exercise/sports programming positively impacts many of the same neurobiological mechanisms implicated in ADHD and may have beneficial effects on executive functions and behavioral challenges that characterize the disorder. Despite evidence and rationale supporting the potential of exercise, there is no research to date examining the impact of sports programming participation on homework completion behaviors of children with ADHD.

In an online anonymous survey, parents of children diagnosed with ADHD were asked questions about their child’s sports programming (intensity and timing) and perceptions of homework completion behaviors (i.e., measured by the “Student Task Orientation/Efficiency” items on the Homework Performance Questionnaire Parent Version, Power, et al., 2007). The objective was to observe potential relationships between sports programming variables and parental perceptions of homework completion behaviors. The study tested the theory that an increase in the intensity of sports programming participation and that completing homework after exercise would both be associated with better parent perception of homework completion behaviors.

Results indicate a significant correlation between increased intensity and positive parent perceptions of homework completion behaviors. However, contrary to the hypothesis predicted, the results indicated that completing homework before exercise versus after exercise was associated with better parent perceptions of homework completion behaviors. A regression model was also used to predict the joint contribution of these variables on parental ratings of homework behaviors. The final regression model, including gender, medication, intensity and timing variables, was significantly predictive of parent ratings of homework completion behavior. These findings suggest that further research is needed to better understand the relationship between sports programming and homework completion behavior in children with ADHD.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. This work may only be accessed by members of the University of Denver community. The work is provided by permission of the author for individual research purposes only and may not be further copied or distributed. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Jessica Shea Reinhardt

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

125 pgs

Discipline

Psychology

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