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International Journal of Sport Studies. Vol., 5 (9), 1049-1053, 2015
Available online at http: www.ijssjournal.com
ISSN 2251-7502 © 2015; Science Research
Improve Working Memory after 12 Sessions of Basketball Training in
ADHD Children
Mahtab Eskandarnejad1*, Farzin Mobayen2, Amir Dana3
1- Professor Assistance University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
2- MA Student University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
3- Department of Physical Education, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
*Corresponding Author, Email: m.eskandarnejad@tabrizu.ac.ir
Abstract
The goal of this study was the effect of basketball training on ADHD children’s
working memory. Material and methods: Our research was a semi experimental
type. 10 samples of ADHD children were chosen from clinical center, the age
range of participants was 9 up to 12 years old. They were measured by working
memory computer based test and procedural memory test as pre-test. So we
started basketball training from simple to difficult. After 12 session of training,
they were measured by computer based working memory test and procedural
memory test as post-test. Results: basketball training made positive significant
differences in our variables. Conclusion: With regards to the fact that the
subjects of our study all were children with ADHD, it is suggested that more
studies should do on normal children and it is better to increase the long of
practice duration on them.
Keywords: Basketball training, ADHD, Working memory, Procedural memory
Introduction
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder in attention, impulse,
restlessness and directed behavior control which is developed naturally and is mainly due to major, sensory,
motor or emotional neurological disorders (Piek et al, 1999). The primary deficits seen in ADHD are those of
inattention and hyperactivity impulsive behavior (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). Research has
also shown that children and adolescents with ADHD demonstrate deficiencies in other abilities generally
considered to fall within the domain of executive functioning (Barkley 2006). Executive functioning is a broad
construct that refers to a variety of processes including attention, working memory, flexibility of thought,
planning, and the regulation of goal-directed behavior. One such deficit in executive functioning is working
memory, which is considered a potentially important mechanism in ADHD (Castellanos & Tannock, 2002).
Working memory is a system that allows one to temporarily hold information in mind long enough to use the
information for some goals (Baddeley, 2000). Working memory is a key function that is necessary for writing
perception, making decision, speaking and solving problem (King, 2008). Figure 1 shows Baddeley view on
working memory.
Intl. j. Sport Std. Vol., 5 (9), 1049-1053, 2015
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Figure 1: Baddley’s working memory view.
Phonological loop particularly store speech information about sounds in a short time. Visio spatial working
memory especially store visual and spatial information which include shapes and etc. spam of Visio spatial
working memory has limitation like phonological loop. Central executive not only coordinate the information
about phonological loop and Visio spatial working memory, but unit the information about long-term memory
(King, 2008). The concept of working memory has received a great deal of attention in the last couple of
decades and discussions of working memory are now common in almost all branches of psychology, including
cognitive, clinical, social, developmental and educational setting. Therefore it is surprising that the concept of
working memory has received a lot less attention in the field of sport psychology compared to other branches of
psychology, especially since research in sport psychology has increasingly incorporated cognitive concepts such
as attention, perception and decision-making which are purported to rely heavily on working memory (Furley &
Memmert, 2010). The relationship between cognition and physical activity has already been investigated
extensively. Summarized the results of 44 studies pertaining to physical activity and cognition in children. The
obtained value for the overall effect size of 0.32 is significant and indicates a positive relationship between
physical activity and cognitive performance in general. Padilla explored whether a high level of physical fitness
can be associated with better inhibitory abilities or a higher WM capacity. The result found support an
association between long-term exercise, inhibitory abilities, and WM capacity. Unfortunately, there is a paucity
of studies addressing this issue in children with ADHD (Ziereis & Jansen, 2015). Because basketball training
has positive effect on ADHD children’s learning skill (Eskandarnejad et al., 2015), one can hypothesize that
basketball training increase physical activities and it can lead to enhance executive function of this kind of
children.
Material and Methods
A sample of 10 children diagnosed with ADHD between the ages of nine and 12 years took part in the study.
They didn’t have any problems except ADHD disorder. None of the children were treated with stimulant
medication like methylphenidate at the time of testing.
Working memory measures: 1) Corsi block software test: corsi block software test is a complex of 9 cubes
which appear suddenly on desktop. There is a cursor which moves from one cube to another. We can regulate
the speed of cursor and visible block time “the time of cubes which are turned on or off”. Calculated reliability
for this software is 0.802 by Cronbach’s alpha. Subject should seat on the back of the computer and after
disappearing of cubes, he should select the right cubes in order. Then computer automatically gives grade for
this action.
2) Procedural memory test: we put numbers from 1 to 9 at the side of subject. At first three complex
numbers are read, then subject have to throw the basketball ball to the read number in order. If the subject does
correct we will increase the numbers. Calculated reliability for this test is 0.92 by Cronbachs’s alpha.
Sensory memory
Visio spatial working
Phonological loop
Long-term memory
Central
executiv
Intl. j. Sport Std. Vol., 5 (9), 1049-1053, 2015
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Figure 2: Basketball training and computer based working memory.
With attention to the figure 2 we understand that there is a significant link between computers based working
memory test and basketball trainings. We start our basketball program from simple to difficult. To start with, 10
to 15 minutes is the time of preparing with jogging and stretch movement. Then 30 minutes last basketball
training. There is an important issue which is every session shouldn’t be similar to previous one, because we
don’t want to transfer information to the long-term memory. At last for motivation increment we play basketball
around 15 minutes.
Results
To consider the hypothesis of our study, dependent (t) test was used. The result of this test is clear in table 1.
As we see the amount of correlation is direct and positive, therefore there is a relationship between basketball
training and computer based working memory test.
Table 1: Paired samples correlation.
Sig. Correlation N
0.006 0.797 10 Pretest & posttest of
computer WM
The result of correlated (t) in pretest and posttest of computer working memory has been represented in table 2.
Table 2: Paired samples test.
As we see in paired sample test table in computer working memory test (t=-2.333), significant is (0.045).
With due attention to these data, with 95% of confidence we can say “Basketball training has positive effect on
ADHD children’s working memory”. This finding is closed to Furley and Memmert (2012) who provided
evidence that a higher working memory capacity is only associated with superior decision making in certain
situation, when a predominant response tendency interferes with the best solution in a situation or when there is
outer distraction from the decision making task.
Sig. (2-
tailed)
df t Paired Differences
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Difference
Std.
Error
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Mean
Upper Lower
0.045 9 -2.333 -0.021 -1.379 0.300 0.949 -0.700 Pretest & posttest of
computer WM
Intl. j. Sport Std. Vol., 5 (9), 1049-1053, 2015
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To consider the hypothesis of our study, dependent (t) test was used. The result of this test is clear in table 3.
As we see the amount of correlation is direct and positive, therefore there is a relationship between basketball
training and procedural memory test.
Table 3: Paired samples correlation.
Sig. Correlation N
0.002 0.858 10 Pretest & posttest of procedural
memory
The result of correlated (t) in pretest and posttest of procedural memory has been represented in table 4.
Table 4: Paired samples test.
As we see in paired sample test table in procedural memory (t=-3.857), significant is (0.004). With due
attention to these data, with 95% of confidence we can say “Basketball training has positive effect on ADHD
children’s working memory”. Also our finding is closed to Webster et al (1996), showed that because computer
game could educate multi-section task, skill of finding direction, vision spatial working memory and
phonological loop, it can increase children’s working memory too.
Discussion and Conclusion
It was the aim of the current study to investigate “the effect of basketball training on ADHD children’s
working memory”. The current study succeeded the hypothesis of our topic. Basketball players must learn to
pay attention and to concentrate on different stimuli. Sometimes the stimulus is a single one, sometimes they
have to focus on more than one stimulus at the same time, with more or less intensity, and for a longer or shorter
amount of time. And depending on the situation, the players have to learn to change, increase, or decrease their
attention at very precise moments. Not many activities provide children with this great opportunity of
developing their attention skills. Likewise, basketball may help players to develop their skills of selecting and
processing external information. From all the stimuli that they receive from their environment, they must select
only those that are relevant and that can be associated with what they have already stored in their memory and
they must learn to make quick decision too. These cognitive processes: selection, association, storage, use of
stored data, and decision making can be developed better if the coach promotes them by making suitable
demands depending on player’s capacity (Buceta et al., 2000). Best (2010) examined studies investigating
immediate and long-term effects of physical activity on executive function and found executive function
improvements in both cases. We are able to confirm the positive effects of basketball training on ADHD
children’s working memory.
In conclusion, the results obtained in the present study reinforced the findings of previous research which
indicate that physical activity would have positive effects on executive function in children with ADHD. The
results support the hypothesis of an improvement in executive functions caused by increased physical activity.
Gapin et al (2011) state that there is a lake of preliminary research exploring such potential benefits of physical
activity in a population with ADHD. Despite the research, Gapin et al (2011) conclusion state beneficial effects
of physical activity on cognitive performance in ADHD affected these kinds of children.
The goal of our study was to explore relationship between basketball training and working memory capacity
on ADHD children. The data of our finding shows significant approach to people who want to improve their
children’s working memory which have this kind of disorder. With regards to the fact that the subjects of our
study all were children with ADHD, some more similar studies is needed about normal children and whether or
Sig. (2-
tailed)
df t Paired Differences
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Difference
Std.
Error
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Mean
Upper Lower
0.004 9 -3.857 -0.372 -1.428 0.233 0.738 -0.900 Pretest & posttest of
procedural memory
Intl. j. Sport Std. Vol., 5 (9), 1049-1053, 2015
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not our variable would be changed in long time and what is the effects of this changing on their working
memory and long-term memory.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest
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