The Effect of Aerobic Exercise with Nonlinear Pedagogy on Anxiety, Depression, Motor Proficiency and Cognitive Ability of Boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Background: This study investigated the effects of the aerobic exercise with music on anxiety, depression, motor proficiency, and cognitive ability of boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study. Participant’s comprised a convenience sample of 36 boys with ADHD. The experimental group (N=18) practiced in non-linear pedagogy (M years=11.32, SD=1.00), whereas the control group (N=18) performed (M years=11.26, SD=0.92) usual school activities in the traditional method. Results: After participating in the 8-week aerobic training program, motor proficiency, anxiety, depression, working memory, perceptual reasoning, and processing speed were improved in the experimental group compared to the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on these findings, among the ADHD children, incorporating music into sports can affect children’s anxiety, depression, motor proficiency, and cognitive ability. Increasing participation by incorporating music into sports such as aerobics, can affect children’s anxiety, depression, motor proficiency, and cognitive ability.