EFFECTIVENESS OF NEURO LINGUISTICS PROGRAMMING (NLP) AND STRUCTURED EXERCISES ON MOTOR SKILLS, PHYSICAL FITNESS AND ATTENTION IN CHILDREN WITH ADHD

S. Jeyanthi¹, N. Arumugam², R.K. Parasher¹

¹Amar Jyoti Institute of Physiotherapy, University of Delhi, Physiotherapy, Delhi, India, ²Punjabi University, Physiotherapy, Patiala, India

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is a prevalent, neuro behavioral disorder defined by developmentally inappropriate symptoms of inattention, impulsiveness and overactivity.

Purpose: This, study was conducted in two phases, the aim of phase-I was to evaluate motor skills, physical fitness and attention in ADHD and typically developing children. While, the aim of phase-II was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Structured Exercise Program (SEP), and Neuro Linguistics programming (NLP) on motor skills, physical fitness and attention in ADHD children.

Methods: The Phase-I was a two-group comparative, cross sectional study, wherein seventy one ADHD and seventy one typically developing children were recruited, and assessed on motor skills, physical fitness and attention. The Phase-II was a randomized control trial, one hundred and twenty (120) participants were recruited and forty participants were randomly allocated into three groups. The between factor had three groups, Group-A,received SEP, Group-B, received SEP+NLP, and Group-C were the controls, continued with their routine activities. The repeated factor was time, had three levels: pre-intervention, post 1 following 6 weeks of intervention, and post 2, follow up after 2 weeks. SEP group received eighteen sessions (three times/ week for 6 weeks) inaddition to this SEP+NLP group received six sessions of NLP.

Results: Phase-I: An Independent t-test revealed that ADHD children had significant deficits in motor skills, physical fitness (except BMI) and attention compared to typically developing children (p ≤ 0.05).
Phase-II: One way ANOVA revealed significant improvements in SEP and SEP+NLP group compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Post hoc using Bonferroni p ≤ 0.05, revealed significant improvement following SEP + NLP, compared to only SEP following six weeks of intervention and during two weeks of follow up period.

Conclusions: 1. It was observed that ADHD children exhibited greater motor skills, physical fitness and attention deficits, compared to their typically developing peers.
2. It was found that six weeks structured exercise programme (18 sessions) and neuro linguistics programme (6 sessions) had improved the motor skill, physical fitness and attention of children with ADHD.The improvement was also maintained during the short time follow up period.

Implications: This study suggests that clinicians, should include motor skills and physical fitness testing for ADHD children in their routine assessment. It also recommends stake holders and clinician to utilize this comprehensively established school-based structured exercise program independently and/or in combination with a Neurolinguistics program to improve motor skills, physical fitness and attention in ADHD children.

Funding acknowledgements: No funding received for this study. It was a self funded study.

Keywords:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Neuro Linguistics Programming
Structured Exercise Program

Topics:
Paediatrics
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Neurology

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab,India

Committee: Institutional Ethics Committee, Punjabi University

Ethics number: 67