We’ve discussed how squirming, fidgeting, and moving around can actually improve the focus of kids with ADHD, but were you aware that hyperactivity can also boost working memory? Although hyperactive behavior is normally associated with restlessness and boredom, a new study by Mark Rapport and colleagues in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology suggests a link between fidgeting and improved memory. Unlike previous research on the subject, which used flawed methodology like subjective ratings from parents, Rapport’s study used objective methods for measuring hyperactivity and its impact on working memory.
The study required the participation of 12 boys with ADHD and 11 boys without; all were between the ages of 8 and 12. Each participant engaged in the control activity and the experiment activity. The control activity required children to make drawings of anything they like using Microsoft Paint – a task that requires little working memory. The experiment activity involved playing two memory games. In the first game, the boys were shown a random series of numbers and a capital letter for 800 milliseconds. The boys were then asked to recite the numbers and letter. The second game involved nine squares. In each round, red and black dots appeared on random places on the square for 800 milliseconds at a time. At the end of the round, the boys had to identify the position of the dots in the order they appeared.
Throughout both activities, each participant wore an actigraph – a watch-like device that measures intensity of movements and acceleration. The actigraph was worn on both ankles and the wrist of the nondominant hand. As the boys accomplished both tasks, the actigraphs took samples of their movement 16 times per second.
In both tasks, boys with ADHD were more physically active than those without. However, both groups displayed a two-fold increase in hyperactivity when they performed memory tasks (relative to their activity level when using Microsoft Paint). They swiveled around in their chairs and fidgeted more in general. The researchers suggest that hyperactive behavior might be necessary to stimulate central executive processing, and becomes excessive when children try to compensate for under-arousal. More research is needed to see if increased physical activity also improves performance quality. Of course, girls with ADHD should be included in future studies as well.
So if your child fidgets often while doing homework and other tasks that need focus, let him be. Provided that the actions aren’t destructive, hyperactive behavior can actually improve the concentration and working memory of kids with ADHD.