Does Choice Improve Physical Performance in Adolescents With ADHD?
Why This Study Was Done
ADHD is usually discussed in terms of attention and behavior, but it also affects how the body moves and responds during physical tasks. Many adolescents with ADHD have difficulty with coordination, strength, timing, or motor control. These challenges can make sports, gym class, or physical play feel frustrating or discouraging.
Researchers already know that autonomy—having some control over how a task is done—can improve motivation and performance in many people. This has been shown in athletes and in people with certain motor impairments. However, this idea had not been clearly tested with adolescents who have ADHD.
This study asked a simple question:
If adolescents with ADHD are given a small amount of choice during a physical task, does it change how they perform and how they feel?
Who Participated
The study included 26 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15. All participants had a formal diagnosis of combined-type ADHD, meaning they experience both attention differences and hyperactivity or impulsivity.
All participants attended the same public secondary school in Spain. Adolescents with other conditions that could affect motor performance were not included. Medication use was allowed and was not used as an exclusion factor.
What the Teens Did
Each participant completed a handgrip strength task using a device that measures how hard someone can squeeze. The task was chosen because it requires effort but very little coordination, which helps researchers focus on motivation rather than motor skill.
Each teen completed the task under two conditions:
- Choice condition: the teen chose which hand to use first
- No-choice condition: the order of hands was assigned
In each condition, participants completed six trials total—three with each hand. There were short rest periods between trials.
There were:
- no rewards
- no coaching
- no feedback
The task itself was exactly the same in both conditions.
After completing each condition, participants rated how the task felt, including:
- how much they enjoyed it
- how capable they felt
- how pressured or tense they felt
- whether they felt they had choice
What the Researchers Measured
The main outcome was maximum grip strength, measured in kilograms.
The researchers also looked at participants’ self-reported motivation and experience during the task. This helped them understand not just how strong the teens were, but how the task felt to them.
Because each participant completed both conditions, the researchers were able to compare each teen to themselves rather than comparing different people to one another.
What the Study Found
When adolescents were allowed to choose the order of the task:
- They squeezed harder
- Their average grip strength increased by a little over 9 percent
- About 88 percent of participants performed better in the choice condition
Participants also reported:
- greater enjoyment of the task
- higher feelings of competence
These improvements were consistent across trials and were not explained by learning effects or fatigue.
Interestingly, participants did not report feeling significantly more in control or less pressured. Even so, their performance and confidence improved.
This suggests that autonomy can influence effort and engagement even when people are not consciously aware of it.
What These Results Mean
The findings suggest that small opportunities for choice can improve immediate physical performance and positive task experience in adolescents with ADHD.
The task itself did not change. Expectations did not change. The only difference was whether the teen had a say in how the task was approached.
The study supports the idea that adolescents with ADHD respond to autonomy in ways similar to other populations, even though this has not been well studied before.
What the Study Does Not Show
This study looked at short-term effects only. It does not tell us whether choice leads to long-term learning, reduced stress, or changes in everyday functioning.
The task was simple and does not represent more complex motor or academic tasks. The sample was also small and drawn from one school, which limits how broadly the results can be generalized.
Overall Conclusion
This study shows that giving adolescents with ADHD a small amount of choice can improve immediate physical performance and increase enjoyment and confidence during a task.
It adds evidence that autonomy plays an important role in how adolescents with ADHD engage with effortful activities.