Participation in leisure activities among boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Boys with ADHD enjoy and engage less in formal after-school fun—use CAPE to find gaps and tailor supports.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Shimoni et al. (2010) asked boys with ADHD and typical boys about their free-time fun. They used the CAPE tool to measure how often, how much, and how joyfully kids do sports, clubs, and lessons.
The study looked at late elementary boys. It compared intensity, enjoyment, place, and partners between the two groups.
What they found
Boys with ADHD joined formal after-school activities less intensely. They also said they enjoyed these activities less than typical boys did.
Both groups picked the same places and partners. The gap was only in how hard they played and how much fun they felt.
How this fits with other research
Blanco-Martínez et al. (2025) meta-analysis shows kids with ADHD have medium-sized motor skill deficits. Ma'ayan's leisure gap may stem from these motor limits.
Ohan et al. (2015) found ADHD boys move more when tasks tax working memory. Low enjoyment in sports could reflect the same hidden load.
Türkan et al. (2016) saw shorter eye fixations in ADHD during visual tasks. Quick gaze shifts may make sustained play less rewarding.
Why it matters
You can spot at-risk kids with a quick CAPE survey. If enjoyment or intensity scores dip, add brief motor warm-ups or choice breaks before practice. Targeted supports keep kids engaged and turn "I quit" into "Let's play again."
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Give CAPE to each boy, graph enjoyment scores, and add a 2-minute motor warm-up to the lowest-rated club.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
ADHD is a neural developmental disorder expressed in various life settings. Yet, previous studies have focused mainly on children's function in school and academic achievement. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to examine participation patterns in outside formal school activities among boys with ADHD compared to typical boys. Participants included 25 boys aged 8-11 years with ADHD and 25 age-matched typical boys. All participants completed the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE). Several aspects of participation were examined: diversity, intensity, enjoyment, place, and partners in 49 extra curricular activities. The findings indicate that boys with ADHD reported significant lower intensity rates of participation in most activity domains. Furthermore, boys with ADHD also reported higher diversity scores and lower enjoyment in 'formal' activities. Yet, no significant differences were found with regard to activity place and partners. These findings enhance the importance of providing therapy that refers to after school activities. Accordingly, CAPE can be useful for assessing boys with ADHD and planning appropriate intervention programs.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2010 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2010.07.022