Preface Diagnostics of human motor competence is currently still an open and dynamic system in which each piece of knowledge can contribute to the refinement and modernization of knowledge about motor development and competence of individuals in different population groups. The concentration of the current scientific discourse on the study of the abilities and skills of the school population results from their association with the health of the individual. However, a number of formulated research problems are still open and many questions remain unanswered. There are no clearly defined (a) determinants of motor competence and (b) inter-vention possibilities; (c) secular trends in the international reference framework are marginally documented; (d) representative research data on motor differences of children in various edu-cational, sociocultural or environmental contexts are missing; and (e) the transfer of scientific knowledge into educational policies, national curricula and educational practice appears to be problematic. The research intention of the presented scientific monograph responds in a way to the scientific research demand for the expertise of educational practice in the development of mo-tor abilities and skills of primary school children and for the establishment of modern educa-tional strategies with regard to the diversity of their psychosocial and motor development. The presented monograph was created with the support of the grant project VEGA of MESRS SR (Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic) and SAS (Slovak Academy of Sciences) (No. 1/0122/19) entitled Somatic and motor characteristics of children of younger school age and their development trends with a special focus on children from marginalized Romany communities. Regarding its research context, the project provides an excursion into the issue of trends in somatic and motor parameters of pri-mary school children within the past two decades. From the methodological viewpoint, the research is based on a comparison of the level of somatic development and motor abilities of today’s generation of younger school-age children with the research works of Turek (1999) and Horváth (2001), in which the European testing system EUROFIT was applied. This com-parative approach makes it possible to indicate generational trends in two parallel research lines. First, it provides an insight into the differences in somatic development and physical fitness of the standard school population, with research data from the late 1990s being the reference framework (Turek, 1999). The second line is represented by the research findings of Horváth (2001), which enable the identification of secular trends in somatic and motor charac-teristics of children from a s socially disadvantaged environment coming from marginalized Roma communities. The re-search aim of this monograph also partially touches on the examination of the mentioned pa-rameters of younger school-age children from the perspective of their various socio-educational contexts (children with special educational needs or from a socially disadvantaged environment). This methodological paradigm can thus indirectly indicate the projection of socio-cultural, socio-economic and educational specifics into the level of motor development of younger school-age children. As part of the empirical intention, an analysis of the level of children’s physical fitness in terms of their weight status manifested by the body mass index (BMI) is also carried out. This partial aim allows verifying the effect of overweight on the level of participants’ motor abilities. We believe that the research grasp of the theoretical basis in this monograph will con-tribute to updating the global scientific framework for the study of motor competence in the school population, but also to raise several questions for professional and scientific discussion. At this point, we would like to express our gratitude to the reviewers whose professional suggestions and comments contributed to the improvement of this publication. Many thanks to all cooperating teachers at the participating primary schools for their helpfulness, willing-ness and collaboration in data collection. And last but not least, we thank the main partici-pants of the research plan – children – for their active participation, joy and enthusiasm during testing.

Attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity from interdisciplinary perspective Introduction: Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a diagnostic category used to identify individuals with clinically significant problems of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity. ADHD can manifest as an impairment in cognitive functions, perceptual and motor skill functions, emotional regulation, and social adaptation (Bragdon & Gamon, 2006). ADHD can present as various behaviors affected by factors such as age, environment (school, home, playground), and even motivation (doing interesting activities versus boring, monotonous ones) (Editorial Board of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London, 2017). The symptoms of ADHD tend to occur more in the school environment. They make it very difficult for the children to conform to the requirements of formal education. When at school children are required to pay close attention and suppress any impulsivity and hyperactivity. As Brock, Jimerson and Hansen (2009) have stressed school-based intervention programs are extremely important. As they point out, although medication-based treatments for ADHD are partially effective, psychosocial interventions often form part of within - school treatment plans. Experimental interventions for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder based on cognitive or metacognitive programs are described in the academic literature. There has also been experimental testing of noncognitive interventions. The most frequent type of noncognitive interaction for individuals with ADHD involves different types of sports. Research into the effects of sport on children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder has shown improvements in both the cognitive and affective areas. As Lullo and Van Puymbroeck (2006) have stated sports activities can improve quality of life in children with ADHD. Research findings have indicated improvements in motor skills, and a higher level of physical activity can have a positive effect on executive and cognitive functions in children with ADHD. Experimental testing of exercise-based interventions has investigated the duration, intensity, and physical exertion as 2 well as the degree of cognitive difficulty involved in the physical activity. Sibley and Etnier (2003) have pointed out that any kind of physical activity can ultimately benefit cognitive performance, and not just in individuals with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. This book is an output of VEGA grant project 1/0691/16 Experimental testing of the effect of sports activity on cognitive and executive functioning in pupils with ADHD. It comprises five thematically related chapters. The first four are concerned with an interdisciplinary analysis of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The aim of the first chapter in the book is to set out the conceptual background of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), give a theoretical definition of the term, and highlight the differences between ADHD and other similar disorders with which it is often confused. It also covers the identification and diagnosis of ADHD and the various forms of treatment and intervention. The intention is to set out the theoretical framework underpinning the remaining parts of the book, which look specifically at ADHD in the context of executive functioning. The aim of the second chapter is to analyze the theoretical contexts documenting a systematic approach to determining the specific nature of motor skills and motor learning in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Analyzing a range of different methodological approaches we identify the specific nature of motor ability and how it manifests in children with ADHD. We then give a detailed analysis of the principles and determinants of development in all areas of motor skills in the ontogenesis of children with ADHD, who have limited proprioreceptive and movement planning, bilateral integration, and psychomotor adaptation. The third chapter is an analysis of research approaches for identifying the effects of physical activity on the cognitive domains of young school-age children with ADHD. The emphasis is on analyzing differences in the direct and long-term effects of physical activity on cognitive performance. Attention is also given to Introduction 3 describing the effect of some specific forms of physical activity and their potential therapeutic effects on children with ADHD. The fourth chapter is concerned with the theoretical basis of the research conducted as part of the VEGA project and provides an overview of research that has consistently found deficits in executive functioning in individuals with ADHD (Pennington and Ozonoff, 1996; Shallice et al., 2002). Specific deficits in the level of executive functioning are more frequently recorded in children with ADHD than children without ADHD (Barkley, 2004; Willcutt, Doyle, Nigg, Faraone and Pennigton, 2005). Considering ADHD to be an impairment in self-regulation (and the associated processes of executive functioning), and agreeing with Barkley’s theory (2014, 2012), we accept a model which explains ADHD as an impairment in the individual’s self-regulation processes. Brown (2008) and Shoemaker et al. (2011) have stated that ADD/ADHD is essentially a cognitive deficit and a developmental disorder in executive functioning. They found that alongside the typical primary symptoms, children with ADHD also frequently exhibit a deficit in executive functioning. This chapter provides more detail on the concept of executive functioning. In the final and fifth chapter of the book we analyze the findings of experimental research on the effect sport, in this case six-ball, has on the functioning of individuals with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The research draws on existing knowledge on correcting the symptoms of attention deficit. The research intervention involved a particular type of sport called six-ball. Sixball is a new type of sport in Slovakia that has been developed and perfected over the last 13 years. It was conceived by Juraj Skrip, a qualified trainer and wrestler who represented Czechoslovakia and is now principal of P.O. Hviezdoslav Primary School in Snina. The research involved experimentally testing the effect of playing six-ball on the executive functioning of pupils with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. We also tested the effect an intensive short-term sports activity with a cognitive dimension had on the motor skills of 9–10-year-old pupils. Introduction 4 The results of the quasi-experiment showed that this intensive sport has the potential to correct the deficits associated with ADHD. Our interdisciplinary approach to describing and analyzing the symptoms associated with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder has enabled us to explore and describe ADHD from within a referential framework that embraces education science, psychology, and sports science. The authors