B4357 - Longitudinal trajectories between sports participation and mental health in ADHD - 27/06/2023

B number: 
B4357
Principal applicant name: 
Shu-Shih Hsieh | Kingston University London
Co-applicants: 
Dr Kasia Kostyrka-Allchorne, Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke
Title of project: 
Longitudinal trajectories between sports participation and mental health in ADHD
Proposal summary: 

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a major neurodevelopmental disorder during childhood, affecting 5% of children across the UK. Mental health difficulties, such as anxiety, stress, and depression, often cooccur with ADHD and can persist from childhood, through adolescence, to adulthood. Separately, ADHD has also been linked to increased levels of obesity and a more sedentary lifestyle. This issue is concerning given that research has shown that participation in exercise and sports provides a range of health-related benefits, including better mental health. Hence, we aim to 1) explore the biological, social, and psychological factors that predict higher sports participation in individuals with ADHD, 2) evaluate whether higher sports participation predicts better mental health in the long-term in individuals with ADHD, and 3) explore whether the longitudinal relationship between sports participation and mental health to be different between individuals with higher and lower symptoms of ADHD.

Impact of research: 
Our research will first determine the specific biological, social, and psychological predictors of sports participation, especially in individuals with more severe ADHD symptoms. Given that individuals with ADHD have been shown to be less active than their neurotypical peers, it is relevant to unveil the predicting factors of their sports behaviour. Such information will provide important insights for future behaviour change strategies targeting specific biological, social, and psychological factors to increase exercise behaviour in individuals with ADHD. Second, our research will seek further evidence whether sports participation could be a key behaviour strategy to reduce mental health issues from childhood, through adolescence, and to adulthood, especially for individuals with greater ADHD symptoms. Considering that mental health difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, is one of the key comorbidities of ADHD, our study, if successful, can provide strong data supporting sports participation as a behaviour strategy with clinical implications and with high generalizability.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 12 June, 2023
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 26 June, 2023
Keywords: 
Mental health - Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognition, Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., Cognitive impairment, Mental health, Statistical methods, Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity, Environment - enviromental exposure, pollution, Physical - activity, fitness, function