Background: Children with Hyperactivity/Attention Deficit Disorder have higher anxiety and depression than their normal peers. The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of musical rhythmic exercise on anxiety, depression and Hyperactivity / Attention Deficit Disorder of primary school children with Hyperactivity / Attention Deficit Disorder.
Methods: In this study, 40 male students (M=8.6, SD=.50) using questionnaires and clinical interviews were identified as hyperactive. Randomly divided into two groups: control (n=20) and experimental (n=20) groups. The Conner’s Form Parenting Questionnaire was used to measure attention deficit hyperactivity / attention deficit disorder, and the Multi-dimensional March Children Anxiety Questionnaire and the Kovacs Children's Depression Inventory were used respectively to assess anxiety and depression, respectively. The experimental group participated in an eight-week course (5 sessions per week) of rhythmic exercises with music. The control group performed only routine school activities (one training session per week). Covariance analysis was used for data analysis.
Results: Levine test results showed that the condition of homogeneity of variance for anxiety, depression and hyperactivity disorder activists / attention deficit is established. Also Results showed that musical rhythmic exercise has a significant effect on anxiety (F=39.25, P=0.000) and depression (F=39.25, P=0.000) and Hyperactivity / Attention Deficit Disorder (F=156.80, P=0.000). The highest rate established for the variables hyperactivity and attention deficit with an effect size of 0.80.
Conclusion: The results suggest that the combination of exercise and music as an effective intervention can be used to reduce anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in preschool children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.