Braindance and Children with ADHD: Improving Motor Coordination and Balance

This study showed the effectiveness of a 6-week adapted dance program to improve the motor coordination and balance of Filipino children with ADHD. This mixed-method study measured 30 children (ages 6 to 17 years old) who were purposively distributed into control and experimental groups to determine the significant differences in the motor coordination and balance scores during the pre- and post-tests using Henderson and Barnett’s (2007) Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2. The MABC-2 contains eight tasks that challenge static and dynamic balance, manual dexterity, and ball skills. Each task is assessed primarily through task completion times (using a stopwatch) and success. Modified dance lessons based on Anne Green Gilbert’s "Braindance" from her book, Brain-Compatible Dance Education, were used as an intervention to the experimental group throughout the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the independent T-test. Post-test results showed improvements in the motor coordination and balance skills of the experimental group. The participants exhibited a significant increase in the levels of their motor coordination and balance during the 6-week Braindance sessions as they performed better on the assigned tasks during each session. The results suggest that using a structured dance program that integrates different movement concepts and the Braindance can improve the motor coordination, balance, and focus abilities of children with ADHD.