Fundamental motor competencies in children aged 6 to 7 affected by ADHD

In the past decade, there has been a considerable surge in interest within the professional and scientific communities regarding the study of children's motor competencies. This heightened attention is attributed to the pivotal role these competencies play in shaping an individual's lifelong physical activity trajectory. Of note, existing research consistently highlights delayed motor development and disruptions in motor learning processes among children diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These challenges often manifest in reduced levels of physical activity and decreased participation in sports. This study aimed to analyse the level of basic motor competencies in 6-7-year-old children, drawing comparisons with a control group of children without ADHD. The data were collected from a cohort of 233 primary school children (45.49% girls) with an average age of 7.33 ± 0.45 years. The research sample comprised 103 children diagnosed with ADHD and a control group of 130 children without ADHD. The evaluation of motor competence involved the application of the MOBAK-1 test battery, encompassing assessment areas for both object movement and selfmovement skills. Differences in motor competencies between the groups were rigorously assessed using an independent samples t-test. The outcomes revealed statistically significant differences favouring children without ADHD in both object movement and self-movement competence areas, as well as in the overall score of the MOBAK test, with medium and large effect sizes. While milder disproportions in motor competencies were observed among girls in the compared groups, a noteworthy finding was that 28% of girls with ADHD exhibited a need for educational motor support (scoring < 3 points per competence area) in object movement, and nearly 23% of boys showed a similar need in self-movement. The study underscores the importance of early diagnosis facilitated by contemporary diagnostic tools, such as the MOBAK-1 test battery. Such tools enable the reliable identification of differences in children's motor development within the context of physical education. The diagnostic identification of motor deficits in children serves as a crucial prerequisite for effective intervention, potentially mitigating the risk of later issues associated with physical inactivity.