School Physical Activity Interventions for Children and Adolescents With Disability: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Effects on Academic, Cognitive, and Mental Health Outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Schools are ideal settings for physical activity promotion; however, children and adolescents with disability have largely been neglected in school-based health promotion efforts. This review examines the effects of school-based physical activity interventions on academic, cognitive, and mental health outcomes of children and adolescents living with any type of disability (eg, intellectual, physical, behavioral).

METHODS

Six databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Embase) were searched from inception to September 2024. Studies were included if they: (1) examined children or adolescents (5-18 y) living with disability, (2) included an experimental or quasi-experimental study design, (3) delivered a school-based physical activity intervention, and (4) examined at least one academic, cognitive, or mental health outcome. Multilevel meta-analyses were conducted to examine intervention effects. Prespecified moderators were also examined.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies involving 1454 children and adolescents living with disability were included. Significant effects were found for cognitive (g = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.62) and mental health (g = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.94) outcomes, but not for academic outcomes. Disability classification, intervention length, and physical activity type significantly moderated intervention effects.

CONCLUSIONS

School-based physical activity programs for children and adolescents with disability can improve measures of cognition and mental health, but not academic performance. Most studies examined children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and few were conducted with adolescents which may limit generalizability of study findings. More high-quality research with robust study designs and larger more diverse samples are needed.