Recent studies have focused on the positive influence of regular physical activity on executive functioning in children. Coordinative skills (agility) and executive functions (updating, attention, inhibition and planning processes) were investigated in children before and after 6 months of a Football Exercise Program compared to a control group of sedentary peers. The participants were 44 children aged 8.8 years: Group 1 comprised 24 children in a football (i.e., soccer) exercise program and Group 2 comprised 20 sedentary children. At pre-test and post-test, coordinative skills and executive functions were measured. After the Football Exercise Program, there were significant differences between sport and sedentary groups in coordinative skills and executive functions. The football group at post-test showed significantly larger gains than the sedentary group on measures of agility, visuo-spatial working memory, attention, planning and inhibition. Findings shed light on the issue to plan structured sport activities as a natural and enjoyable way to improve cognitive skills.

Alesi, M., Bianco, A., Luppina, G., Palma, A., Pepi, A. (2016). Improving Children's Coordinative Skills and Executive Functions: The Effects of a Football Exercise Program. PERCEPTUAL AND MOTOR SKILLS, 122(1), 27-46 [10.1177/0031512515627527].

Improving Children's Coordinative Skills and Executive Functions: The Effects of a Football Exercise Program

ALESI, Marianna
;
BIANCO, Antonino;PALMA, Antonio;PEPI, Annamaria
2016-01-01

Abstract

Recent studies have focused on the positive influence of regular physical activity on executive functioning in children. Coordinative skills (agility) and executive functions (updating, attention, inhibition and planning processes) were investigated in children before and after 6 months of a Football Exercise Program compared to a control group of sedentary peers. The participants were 44 children aged 8.8 years: Group 1 comprised 24 children in a football (i.e., soccer) exercise program and Group 2 comprised 20 sedentary children. At pre-test and post-test, coordinative skills and executive functions were measured. After the Football Exercise Program, there were significant differences between sport and sedentary groups in coordinative skills and executive functions. The football group at post-test showed significantly larger gains than the sedentary group on measures of agility, visuo-spatial working memory, attention, planning and inhibition. Findings shed light on the issue to plan structured sport activities as a natural and enjoyable way to improve cognitive skills.
2016
Alesi, M., Bianco, A., Luppina, G., Palma, A., Pepi, A. (2016). Improving Children's Coordinative Skills and Executive Functions: The Effects of a Football Exercise Program. PERCEPTUAL AND MOTOR SKILLS, 122(1), 27-46 [10.1177/0031512515627527].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
0031512515627527.pdf

Solo gestori archvio

Descrizione: Pdf
Tipologia: Versione Editoriale
Dimensione 236.02 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
236.02 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10447/199207
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 46
  • Scopus 109
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 98
social impact