Doctor’s study finds martial arts helps control disorder
Families seeking treatment from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder typically turn to medication and counseling, but what about karate?
“What does it mean to have focus?” Deshi James Garzillo, of the Willow Grove Tiger Schulmann’s Karate, asked his students at the start of class Monday night.
Garzillo talked about the results of a study showing the positive effects martial arts has on young boys with ADHD.
This is a “pretty big finding,” Garzillo said. “I’m excited because people have a misconception of martial arts, and it educates the public about what we actually do.”
According to the Tiger Schulmann’s Web site, Dr. Matthew Morand presented the study in spring 2004 for his doctor of psychology dissertation at Hofstra University in New York. After they supported his findings, the University, and Morand, published the study.
“I took my love of psychology and martial arts and mixed them together,” said Morand, who is a fan of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
When Morand would observe children just starting out in the Tiger Schulmann’s program, he noticed that many of them had no ability to pay attention. Months later, he saw different attitudes and a new-found discipline in the same students.
This experience motivated him to search online to investigate a possible linkage between martial arts and ADHD. What he found was a lot of theories and no proof.
“Nothing had been empirically derived. I wanted to change the face of that,” Morand said.
During his 12-week study, 18 non-medicated boys were divided into three test groups, according to the Morand’s study.
Six of the boys took part in a Martial Arts Intervention Group through Tiger Schulmann’s Karate Martial Arts Program, another group of six were involved in an Exercise Intervention Group, and the last group of six participated in a control group that did not include any kind of intervention.
Morand reported that the martial arts form of treatment showed greater success than the program using exercise.
Morand, and teachers that took part in tracking of the boys’ progress, found that the group enrolled in the Tiger Schulmann’s program improved the most in homework completion, academic performance and classroom participation. They were also less likely to break classroom rules, leave their seats inappropriately and call out in class.
Morand said that with exercise there is “not the same drive to direct attention to something.” Improvements in behavior were also attributed to the fact that martial arts emphasizes constant focus, gives more specific attention to the kids and provides positive reinforcement in the form of a belt system, said Morand.
Tiger Schulmann’s Karate specifically meets the needs of ADHD children because of its unique structure.
Morand said students learn to multitask a lot of things with Tiger Schulmann’s. They must keep their attention on the instructor while combining punching, kicking and maintaining focus.
Tiger Schulmann’s also utilizes a hybrid style of karate, combining karate, jujitsu and aikido.
According to Morand’s study, “The Hybrid Style, allowed to generalize the intervention program to the ‘overall’ martial arts discipline, as oppose to just one specific discipline.”
For many families, ADHD is difficult to treat and many turn to medication.
“I believe some kids can be treated effectively, however, medication does not work well for others,” Morand said.
He said he feels that martial arts is an effective option for kids with ADHD.
“I’d rather see a lot of kids come in for alternate training,” Garzillo said in regard to medication.
He, like Morand, believes in the fundamentals of Tiger Schulmann’s. “The program is designed to build focus and discipline in every kid,” Garzillo said.
For Dr. Morand’s complete study and more information about Tiger Schulmann’s, visit www.tsk.com.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14185547&BRD=1306&PAG=461&dept_id=187834&rfi=6
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And the article had so much potential until it turned into an infomercial…
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