Fencing after school as a didactic proposal for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Adhd)

Abstract

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is prevalent in a typical school classroom and in special educational needs generally. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the impact a fencing training program can have on the frequency of ADHD behavioral symptoms in children diagnosed with this disorder. Participants included 18 children (age: M = 10.94, SD = 1.25), half of them attended fencing classes for eight weeks, and the other group did not participate in the program. A quasi-experimental design was used with a control group not treated with pretest-posttest dependent samples. The instrument used was the adapted Scale Iowa-Conners for Parents (Miranda, Amado, & Jarque, 2001). The group receiving fencing training showed a lower frequency of restlessness and movement than the control group, and less problems maintaining attention. These results provide information relevant to the psychological intervention of children with the disorder, and for practical applications of fencing training in physical education.