C-HIIT to improve the concentration and quality of sleep of schoolchildren with learning difficulties: Pilot studies

Abstract

One of the most diagnosed neurocognitive disorders in Spain (5%) and recognized by the LOMCE as Students with Specific Need for Educational Support is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Schoolchildren with problems to concentrate and in many cases with sleep and restlessness problems, which interfere in their social and school development. This work includes two pilot projects with randomized experimental longitudinal design. With the objective of know the immediate effect of 16min of "cooperative high-intensity interval training" (CHIIT) on concentration and evaluate the effect of 10 weeks of C-HHIT on sleep quality. In Project 1 (n= 20) the Control Group visualized a documentary and the Experimental Group did Physical Exercise (4 minutes warm-up + 16 minutes C-HIIT). In Project 2 (n= 20) only the Experimental Group attended the 10 weeks of extra-curricular activity C-HIIT (2 sessions / week, 30 minutes / session). The tools used were test d2 (concentration), Pittsburg test and Fitbit HR (sleep quality) and Seego ® system (exercise intensity) bracelets. The analysis of repeated measures ANOVA 2 times (pre-test vs. post-test) × 2 groups (control group vs. experimental group) and test for non-metric measurements, Willcoxon and U Mann-Whitney showed that the performance of the C-HIIT method has an immediate effect of improving the concentration [F(1.18)=20.50; p=.001; partial; ?2=.532; 1- ß> .999] and improves long-term sleep quality [F(1.18)=69.932; ?2=.795; 1-ß> 975; p<.001] in schoolchildren with learning difficulties.