The Effect of Aerobic Exercise Volume on Inhibitory Control in Young Adults with ADHD

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is frequently associated with difficulties in executive functioning, which can interfere with the management of daily life. Prior research suggests that aerobic exercise may elicit improvements in the inhibitory control aspect of executive functioning among individuals with ADHD. However, all past studies on this topic have examined the impact of acute exercise on task-based inhibitory control measures. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of weekly aerobic exercise volume on self-reported inhibitory control in young adults who screen positive for ADHD. Additionally, this study aimed to determine which subcomponent of exercise volume has the greatest impact on self-reported inhibitory control among this population. Thirty-nine individuals completed a survey consisting of an ADHD screening, questions assessing their weekly aerobic exercise habits, and two questionnaires assessing aspects of inhibitory control. The BIS-15 and DGI-10 were used to measure impulsivity and delayed gratification, respectively. Results showed a significant relationship between exercise volume and impulsivity scores (r (37) = -.33, p = .042) but not delayed gratification (r(37) = .231, p = .158). Additionally, results showed that none of the subcomponents— frequency, intensity, or time— significantly predicted impulsivity (F(3, 35) = 1.34, p = .276). The model explained 10% of the variability in impulsivity scores (R² = .10, Adjusted R² = .03). These findings indicate that increasing exercise volume may be an effective strategy in improving impulsivity, but not delayed gratification, in young adults with ADHD. Furthermore, these results suggest that total exercise volume, rather than the individual subcomponents, may be a greater predictor of impulsivity values among this population.