The Moderating Effect of Physical Activity on the Association Between ADHD Symptoms and Peer Victimization in Middle Childhood

Previous research has demonstrated that symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are associated with higher levels of victimization, but little is known about protective factors. The purpose of the study was to examine whether physical activity attenuated the associations among ADHD symptoms and physical and relational victimization 1.5 years later. Participants included 168 s through fourth grade students (M age = 8.43; 52.4 % boys) who completed self-reports of physical activity and victimization; teachers provided ratings of ADHD symptoms. ADHD symptoms predicted subsequent increases in physical, but not relational, victimization among children who reported engaging in moderate/high levels of physical activity, especially out of the school context (moderate: β = .26, p = .03; high: β = .55, p < .001). Findings suggest that children with ADHD symptoms may benefit from being taught the skills necessary to appropriately engage in physical activity and from being monitored while engaging in activity in order to limit physical victimization that they might experience.