Active Engagement: The Impact of Group-Based Physical Activities on Resilience of Israeli Adolescents with ADHD

Background Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a pressing concern in contemporary pediatric public health, with its prevalence rising among children and teenagers. This study explored the relationship between group-based physical activity and the well-being, resilience, and distress levels of Israeli youth, with a specific focus on those with ADHD. Methods This was a survey-based, cross-sectional study that included 699 Jewish Israeli teenagers aged 16 to 19. In addition to quantitative questionnaires that examined sociodemographic factors, resilience, distress, and well-being levels, the youth were asked about participation in group-based physical activities and the significance they ascribe to various facets of the activities. Results Our findings indicated that structured and group-based physical activities, especially the Five Fingers program which emphasizes psychosocial development and leadership skills, are associated with higher resilience (p<.01) and lower distress levels (p<.01) in adolescents. Generally, Israeli adolescents with ADHD exhibited lower levels of resilience (p<.001) and well-being (p<.001), and higher levels of distress (p<.001) compared to their counterparts. However, adolescents with ADHD who participated in group-based activities fared better in terms of distress (p<.01) and well-being (p=.018) than adolescents with ADHD who did not participate in organized sports. Further, participation in any form of sport activity, older age, male gender, and a higher socio-economic status predicted greater resilience in youth generally. Conclusions The study presents the potential of structured, engaging physical activities that involve psychosocial training and group integration activities to improve the mental health of adolescents, especially in the context of ADHD. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study did not receive any funding ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Ethics committee of Tel Aviv University gave ethical approval for this work I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors