Effects of SPARK Physical Education Program on Behavioral Problems of Children with ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children. The current study investigated the effects of sports, play, and active recreation in children (SPARK) program on reducing the behavioral problems of children with ADHD. In order to conduct the experiment, the participants (n=30) were randomly assigned into an experimental group and a control group. Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was administered to both groups. Then, the experimental group received SPARK program for 12 sessions of 30 minutes, while the control group received no training. At the end of the sessions, both groups were assessed once more. Findings demonstrated that the groups were not very different in the pretest stage; but, post-test scores revealed a significant difference between the groups. This implies the efficacy of doing exercise and physical activities on reducing the behavioral problems of the experimental group members. Therefore, it seems that physical activities should be put into focus in schools and educational centers in order to pave the way for designing therapeutic programs for ADHD children. It is recommended that administrators, trainers, and parents provide suitable environments for ADHD children to help them improve their behaviors.