Abstract
Recent studies indicate that a single bout of physical exercise can have immediate positive effects on cognitive performance of children and adolescents. However, the type of exercise that affects cognitive performance the most in young adolescents is not fully understood. Therefore, this controlled study examined the acute effects of three types of 12-min classroom-based exercise sessions on information processing speed and selective attention. The three conditions consisted of aerobic, coordination, and strength exercises, respectively. In particular, this study focused on the feasibility and efficiency of introducing short bouts of exercise in the classroom. One hundred and ninety five students (5th and 6th grade; 10–13 years old) participated in a double baseline within-subjects design, with students acting as their own control. Exercise type was randomly assigned to each class and acted as between-subject factor. Before and immediately after both the control and the exercise session, students performed two cognitive tests that measured information processing speed (Letter Digit Substitution Test) and selective attention (d2 Test of Attention). The results revealed that exercising at low to moderate intensity does not have an effect on the cognitive parameters tested in young adolescents. Furthermore, there were no differential effects of exercise type. The results of this study are discussed in terms of the caution which should be taken when conducting exercise sessions in a classroom setting aimed at improving cognitive performance.
Highlights
Schools and teachers experience increased pressure to improve cognitive performance and scholastic achievement of their students (Wilkins et al, 2003; McMullen et al, 2014)
The time allocated to academic subjects can result in reduced time for physical education and physical activity (PA) in the school curriculum (Wilkins et al, 2003; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010)
An additional number of four (LDST) and five (d2 test) students were excluded based on invalid test scores due to missing a part of the test or ignoring test rules
Summary
Schools and teachers experience increased pressure to improve cognitive performance and scholastic achievement of their students (Wilkins et al, 2003; McMullen et al, 2014). This pressure is caused by the high demands that governments place on students’ performance in language and mathematic subjects, which are used for the evaluation and funding of schools. Information processing speed (e.g., Ellemberg and St-Louis-Deschênes, 2010; Cooper et al, 2012) and selective attention (e.g., Tine and Butler, 2012; Janssen et al, 2014a) have been shown to improve immediately after a single exercise session. Conducting exercise sessions during the school day may yield immediate positive effects on learning efficiency in the classroom
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