Learning magic tricks can help self-esteem in children with ADHD – News

Teaching magic tricks to children with disabilities can improve their self-esteem and confidence, a to study showed.

The study, published in Health Psychology Research, is a collaboration between the University of Alabama at Birmingham‘s Institute of Arts in Medicine, the School of Health Professions‘ Department of Occupational Therapy and illusionist and educator Kevin Spencer. It shows the effectiveness of a virtual summer magic camp program in improving self-esteem in children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children with ADHD can have low self-esteem.

Learning and performing magic tricks can benefit children and adults with disabilities. The approach promotes motivation and improves the physical, psychological, perceptual or social functions of those involved and has been shown to be an effective treatment technique. Magic tricks programs have also been reported to improve the self-esteem of children with severe emotional disorders and those with a wide range of developmental disabilities such as communication difficulties, learning difficulties, behavioral (emotional) disorders, autism and ADHD.

The UAB single-group study included six children with ADHD, ages 8 to 14, who participated in a virtual magic camp program designed for children with disabilities. The camp met three days a week, in 45-minute to one-hour sessions, over four consecutive weeks, for a total of nine to 12 hours. Participants completed pre-camp and post-camp assessments, and they and their parents were interviewed individually after camp to explore their camp experience.

Self-esteem scores after magic camp were significantly higher than self-esteem scores before camp. The results were validated by participants, who described gains in self-esteem after attending the magic camp, and by statements from parents regarding the positive impact on their child’s psychological well-being.

ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents. It is characterized by problems with attention, concentration or organization, and affects academic performance in school and daily activities. In addition to inattention and / or hyperactivity, children and adolescents with ADHD report psychological well-being difficulties such as low self-esteem. Given their frequent challenges and failures in school, and the negative social reactions they encounter, these experiences may contribute to their low self-esteem.

ADHD research shows that self-esteem issues can lead to inappropriate coping strategies, such as anxiety and depression, substance use and deviant peer choices, and disruptive behaviors such as peer bullying and victimization, according to the study.

Psychosocial interventions have been recommended to help children and adolescents with ADHD cope with difficulties and failures in school and in daily life and to increase self-esteem.

Future studies should investigate the holistic impact of magic camps on children and adolescents with ADHD and include measures that exploit other psychosocial attributes, such as social functioning, social skills and self-efficacy, according to the authors of the study.

UAB Magic Camp, which takes place every summer, is part of a collaboration between UAB Arts in Medicine, the occupational therapy department of the UAB School of Health Professions, Children’s of Alabama and Hocus Focus ™. Occupational therapy students at UAB are trained in the protocol developed by illusionist and educator Kevin Spencer – an international authority on the therapeutic use of magic tricks in physical and psychosocial rehabilitation – and provide instruction to campers.

Each camper is paired with two student occupational therapists for the duration of the three-week summer camp. Thanks to this pairing, campers work at their own pace and have a personalized learning experience. At the end of each camp, a streaming magic show will be offered to friends and family. The camp is free and open to children aged 9 to 18 who have been diagnosed with a disability. The virtual camp welcomes participants from across the United States and abroad.