Inclusive physical activity: an alternative for physical and emotional well-being in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the school context

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the level of inclusion in Physical Education classes among students diagnosed with ADHD and, based on the diagnostic results, to structure an inclusive physical activity proposal for future implementation. A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional design was carried out in a school in Durán (Ecuador). Fourteen sixth-grade students (ages 10–11) participated. Data were collected using a structured observation form on inclusion in Physical Education across four dimensions (emotional, social, motor, and cognitive) and a Likert-type questionnaire for Physical Education teachers. Only descriptive analyses were performed (means, standard deviations, and frequencies). Overall, 50.0% of students were classified at a regular level of inclusion, 21.4% at a low level, and 28.6% at a high level. These patterns informed the development of an inclusive physical activity proposal, which was submitted to expert judgment as content validation, without assessing effectiveness.