5

Language and memory are important pieces of the puzzle that makes up an individual’s identity, but other aspects of life play a role as well. While thoughts and beliefs surrounding self-concept are extremely important, so are our actions and behaviors. Demonstrating the incredible connection between mind and body, human cognition is highly influenced by movement. Physical activity presents itself as a healthy challenge to our cognitive systems, as well as an outlet for creativity, expression, and competence. Most notably, executive functioning is most affected by how we move our bodies and express ourselves physically. This has many implications for young adults with ADHD and offers an alternative way of approaching treatment and management of the disorder.

At a basic level, how well someone can carry out physical tasks and general patterns of movement is called motor competence (Timler et al., 2019). Motor competence allows for engagement in fun or enjoyable physical activities that are important for physical, social, and emotional development. The relationship between motor competence and healthy identity formation is mediated by self-perceptions in various different domains, such as global self-worth and scholastic competence (Timler et al., 2019). In a school setting, having high motor competency is usually indicative of better social skills and positive self-perceptions, as students who exhibit proficiency in physical activities are more likely to be liked by their peers and to have better opinions of themselves (Timler et al., 2019). On the other hand, students who exhibit low motor competency are more likely to engage in antisocial behavior to prevent negative judgments from their peers (Timler et al., 2019). In this context, it is extremely important for educators and parents to be aware of the level of motor competency their student has so that they can give attention to other areas of their lives that are affected by their motor competence. For example, fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging friendships can make a huge difference for a low-motor competent student and the development of their identity (Timler et al., 2019).

What is notable about the research surrounding motor competence is that connections can be made between this population of adolescents and those with ADHD. As one can imagine, a student with ADHD faces similar obstacles that can get in the way of healthy identity formation. Facing greater challenges at school and at home and having difficulty completing certain tasks, adolescents with ADHD also have fewer positive domains of self-perceptions to draw on to form a healthy identity. While the pressure points for intervention might be slightly different, the overall message remains. Movement and physicality are important for developing a number of skills and self-perceptions, and thus should be incorporated into wise interventions to help support healthy identity formation in all populations of students (Timler et al., 2019). When considering the population of students with ADHD, however, it is necessary to recognize the areas of functioning that are most affected in order to promote a recursive process of enhancement.

For young adults with ADHD, the recursive process starts with the improvement of executive functioning. Similar to motor competence, executive functions are important for academic, social, and personal success. As we know, these include things like the ability to sustain focus or inhibit unnecessary stimuli, organization, task-switching, working memory capabilities, and cognitive flexibility. These are extremely important; not just because they help us navigate our environment, but because when people are engaging these processes at the optimal level, there are better outcomes for both physical and mental health (Diamond, 2014). Following the research of Adele Diamond, we can challenge and increase the level of executive functioning through movement! While her research was not specifically directed towards the ADHD population, she points out that those who struggle the most with executive functioning will benefit the most from intervention (Diamond, 2014). This indicates that using movement and physical activity as a means of improving functioning can be extremely beneficial to those with ADHD. These activities can take the form of dancing, playing an instrument, playing a sport, or even just going for a walk. However, the benefits of these things are not unconditional. Repetition and consistency are very important for optimal results (Diamond, 2014). Additionally, a gradual increase in difficulty is also needed to continue to see results. The mind is like a muscle,  once something is no longer a challenge, it stops having the same effects. But the effects are worth the effort, because when executive functioning is nourished it becomes increasingly easier for learning and academic performance to improve (Diamond, 2014).

While this information is incredibly useful for those with ADHD, the improvement of executive function alone is not all that is needed for the recursive process to maintain its momentum. Social, emotional, and physical health must also be supported for optimal executive function improvements (Diamond, 2014). This is where self-help and wise interventions make an appearance. Not only do they serve as an outlet for engaging cognitive functioning, but they can also help tackle the social and emotional aspects of living with ADHD. It is important to note, however, that when one aspect of life becomes overwhelming, it can take a toll on our ability to engage in healthy habits. It’s a lot easier to focus on positive growth and improvement when other stressors are not taking up mental energy, but it is highly unrealistic to assume that life won’t present its fair share of stressors. Interventions and self-help activities are useful and productive, yes, but they are not a fix-all for the multitude of life’s challenges. When integrated into the life of an adult with ADHD self-help activities, while still beneficial on their own, are best used to supplement other treatments for maximum results. With that being said, any intervention is better than none.