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To investigate the impact of different types of exercise modalities on children and adolescents with developmental disorders. Data were obtained from randomized controlled trials retrieved from five databases. Following the PRISMA NMA guidelines, a Bayesian framework-based Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation was used for aggregation and analysis. The included studies were assessed for risk of bias and quality evaluation. A total of 68 studies were included. Moderate-quality evidence suggests that combative sports may be the best exercise for enhancing gross motor skills, ball sports are the most effective for improving executive function, neurodevelopmental motor training is the most effective for improving social skills, and aquatic exercise is the most effective for improving behavioral problems.
Conclusions: Combat sports, ball sports, neurodevelopmental motor training, and aquatic exercise may be effective exercise modalities for improving symptoms in children and adolescents with developmental disorders. However, the degree of improvement can vary among individuals with specific developmental disorders. Therefore, precise assessment of the individual symptoms of children or adolescents is crucial before selecting specific exercise interventions.
Trial registration: PROSPERO (CRD42024545673).
What Is Known: • Many studies indicate that exercise as an intervention can have positive effects on individuals with developmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism. However, reported effects vary, and there is no clear consensus on the optimal exercise intervention method yet. What Is New: • Through a comprehensive network meta-analysis, various exercise interventions for children and adolescents with developmental disorders were compared to determine the optimal approach. The study found that combat sports, ball sports, neurodevelopmental motor training, and aquatic exercise could potentially be effective modalities for improving symptoms in this population. |