Running is therapeutic. It is phrase that many runners say and wholeheartedly believe. Mia Bates, the captain of the women’s track and field team, is researching the science to back that claim.
An honors student in the psychology department, Bates is conducting research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and how exercise helps those manage the condition.
She has earned a 3.97 GPA and has received funding from the neuroscience and psychology departments to do research on adult ADHD.
“With the study, I am trying to find how exercise helps executive functioning, specifically, error processing. I am hoping the increase in dopamine from the exercise will act similarly to medications that treat ADHD. This phenomenon has been documented in children, but has not been studied in adults with ADHD.”
One of the ways she copes with her ADHD is by running, which she and her doctors believe has truly helped.
“Actually, how I got diagnosed was when I was injured and I couldn't run. Suddenly, I could not focus anymore or sleep. I thought it was anxiety, but my doctor believed I had been self-medicating with running for so many years that I hadn't realized I had ADHD. Interestingly, I tested very high for ADHD so it wasn't even that I was on the threshold – I was way over it, but running had helped control it.”
Bates’ career goal is to become a neonatologist, which is something she has been working towards throughout her time on campus.
At the start of the fall, Bates began working for Scribe America in Parma, Ohio, as a scribe where she helps the emergency room physician by recording patient information.
Last year, she also spent time as a surgical aide at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, New Yok.
“I got to witness a bunch of different surgeries, including an open-heart surgery, which was a unique experience that I am grateful for,” she said. “Overall, the experience is really valuable because I get to observe patient interactions first-hand and learn what works and what doesn't in terms of bedside manner.”
She spent this past summer in Amherst, New York, serving as a counselor at the Summit Center. Bates got to put some of her research to practical use, providing treatment to adolescents with ADHD and Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD). By directing the sports and art activities for the kids, she was able to record data on how the activities played in a role in the kids’ well-being. The program is a research-based group therapy rooted in a point system with individualized plans and verbal feedback. She was challenged and humbled by the amount of patience and skills the job required.
“It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I was hoping to connect with the kids and teach them more about their disorder since I have ADHD. With some of the kids I was able to do that, but it was more difficult with the children with ODD as it causes them to believe that they are not good kids because of their defiant behavior. It creates a lot of trust issues as they don’t accept compliments or positive feedback well.”
Bates’ drive can be traced back to her a time as a child in New York.
Her parents have been life-long restaurateurs, and Mia started working in their restaurants at the age of eight, which set the foundation for the work ethic she has displayed throughout her life.
“It was hard work and I missed out on a lot of things with my friends because my parents needed me to work. We worked holidays, weekends, and summers,” Bates said. “It was stressful because I knew that the success of our restaurant was also vital to the success of our family. I will say I gained a lot of interpersonal skills that apply to every job I've had since, and I think I have unique time management and stress relief skills from the experience.”
As the captain of the women’s track and field team, Bates is using her social skills on a daily basis.
“It’s really awesome to be part of a team that is really good, but also sincerely cares about each other. As a captain, I try to make a conscious effort to be sure that our team dynamic continues. I love my teammates and I want to build a culture among the team that makes every person feel included.”
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, Ray Appenheimer has great admiration for Mia and all that she has done for his program.
“There are few athletes who have garnered more respect from their teammates than Mia,” Appenheimer said. “Coaches throw around words like tough and gritty, but Mia is the real deal. Working hard, dealing with adversity and setbacks, earning outstanding grades, working night shifts at the hospital, being there for her teammates – doing all of these things and more, never with a complaint, never seeking credit, always grateful for every opportunity and done with a smile on her face – this is who Mia is and why she is such a tremendous leader.”
