Random Practice Schedule Research Articles

Practicing traditional cultural games skills according to random and game-based practice schedules can improve gross motor skills performance.

The aim of this research was to examine the effects of using a random and game-based practice schedule for Traditional Cultural Games (TCG) skills on the performance of gross motor skills. Specifically, skills of two types of TCG, Chindro, an individual TCG, and Pittu-Garam, a team TCG, were practiced. 102 primary school children, ages seven to ten, attended a total of eighteen sessions of skill practice in 6 weeks, practicing TCG motor skills found in the game of Chindro or Pittu-Garam. For each TCG, participants were assigned to either random or game-based conditions, contributing to four experimental groups (Chindro random, Chindro game-based, Pittu random, and Pittu game-based). Gross motor skills performance was measured, before and after the experiment, according to the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Particularly, the performance of six gross motor skills, Catch, Overhead Throw, Underhand Roll, Hop, Leap, and Jump, were assessed. Additionally, through a transfer test, the same skills were evaluated from a real-world game situation. In the skills performance test, all four groups significantly improved gross motor skills performance by the end of the experiment. However, there was no difference found between the groups based on game-based and random selection in the skills performance test and the game transfer test for both TCG. Practicing TCG skills according to high interference practice schedules, whether individually or in combination, improved gross motor skills performance. The study indicated that a game-based practice schedule could be a substitute for a random practice schedule when planning a training session involving high-interference practice schedules.

High contextual interference improves retention in motor learning: systematic review and meta-analysis

The effect of practice schedule on retention and transfer has been studied since the first publication on contextual interference (CI) in 1966. However, strongly advocated by scientists and practitioners, the CI effect also aroused some doubts. Therefore, our objective was to review the existing literature on CI and to determine how it affects retention in motor learning. We found 1255 articles in the following databases: Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, supplemented by the Google Scholar search engine. We screened full texts of 294 studies, of which 54 were included in the meta-analysis. In the meta-analyses, two different models were applied, i.e., a three-level mixed model and random-effects model with averaged effect sizes from single studies. According to both analyses, high CI has a medium beneficial effect on the whole population. These effects were statistically significant. We found that the random practice schedule in laboratory settings effectively improved motor skills retention. On the contrary, in the applied setting, the beneficial effect of random practice on the retention was almost negligible. The random schedule was more beneficial for retention in older adults (large effect size) and in adults (medium effect size). In young participants, the pooled effect size was negligible and statically insignificant.

Contextual Interference Effect in Learning of Simulated Laparoscopic Tasks

Laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical technique involving fine motor movements of the hands and fingers, has proven to be an invaluable tool in surgical care. Expediting the learning process of surgeons to reach proficiency in this surgical technique directly impacts patient outcomes, recovery times, and time management in hospitals [1]. Within motor learning, blocked and random practice has been identified as having correspondingly low or high levels of contextual interference, with different effects on learning and retention of motor skills. Contextual interference can be described as the level of mental interference created during the practice of motor skills. So far, research has been equivocal in identifying the best practice schedule for optimizing the acquisition and retention of fine and gross motor skills. This study examines the role of contextual interference in the acquisition, short-term retention (10-minute), and long-term retention (10-day) of three variations of a simulated laparoscopic task in 60 adults aged 18-65, 30 males and 30 females. The index of performance was represented by the total time taken to complete each task using curved laparoscopic graspers. Results showed that both blocked and random practice groups significantly improved acquisition performance over 54 acquisition trials. Participants undergoing a blocked practice schedule improved their pattern time-to-completion by 46%, retaining most of their performance in the 10-minute retest while maintaining their skill as well after 10 days. The random practice group improved acquisition performance by 38%, maintaining most of their performance in the short-term retention test, with only a slight decrease in speed in the long-term retention test. No statistically significant differences in the efficiency of blocked versus random practice schedules were found for both acquisition and retention, suggesting that both practice schedules can be viable options for learning and retention of simulated laparoscopic surgical tasks. We suggest tailoring training programs to individual skill levels to provide each learner with the optimal amount of contextual interference to reach their optimal challenge point according to subjective task difficulty experienced.

276 Effect of Practice Schedule on Motor Learning of Protective Stepping Responses in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease and Age-matched Controls.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Persons with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) have set-shifting impairments that may limit motor learning of protective responses to prevent falls. This study compares the effect of blocked versus random practice schedules on acquisition and retention of protective stepping stability in PwPD & age-matched controls. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Twenty PwPD & 20 age-matched controls will be randomly assigned to random or blocked practice groups to experience slip and trip-like perturbations which induce stepping responses. Blocked practice is repeating a task (e.g., slip) several times before the next task, while random practice is randomly practicing two or more tasks (e.g., slips & trips). Each subject will wear a safety harness to prevent falls, each fitted with a load cell that indicates when a fall would have occurred. We will assess the anterior-posterior and mediolateral margin of stability at 1st protective step, step length, and in-task fall incidence before, 10 minutes, and two days after practice. We will also compare outcomes between participants in the blocked vs. random practice schedule using two ANOVA. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: To date, we have recruited three control subjects. We anticipate that blocked practice will be superior to random practice for protective stepping acquisition and retention PwPD. Existing literature on motor learning of voluntary tasks indicates that PwPD have difficulty acquiring and retaining motor skills via random practice due to the higher cognitive processing required than blocked practice. Furthermore, since the basal ganglia’s set-shifting role is crucial for random practice, it is expected that random practice will limit protective steps acquisition and retention in PwPD. In healthy control, while blocked practice is better for acquisition, random practice will be superior for retention. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The study’s findings will provide knowledge that may foster the development of robust balance rehabilitation protocols to improve postural responses in PwPD and reduce delayed and ineffective stepping responses that results in falls among PwPD.

Signatures of contextual interference in implicit sensorimotor adaptation.

Contextual interference refers to the phenomenon whereby a blocked practice schedule results in faster acquisition but poorer retention of new motor skills compared to a random practice schedule. While contextual interference has been observed under a broad range of tasks, it remains unclear if this effect generalizes to the implicit and automatic recalibration of an overlearned motor skill. To address this question, we compared blocked and random practice schedules in a visuomotor rotation task that isolates implicit adaptation. In experiment 1, we found robust signatures of contextual interference in implicit adaptation: compared to participants tested under a blocked training schedule, participants tested under a random training schedule exhibited a reduced rate of learning during the training phase but better retention during a subsequent no-feedback assessment phase. In experiment 2, we again observed an advantage in retention following random practice and showed that this result was not due to a change in context between the training and assessment phases (e.g. a blocked training schedule followed by a random assessment schedule). Taken together, these results indicate that contextual interference is not limited to the acquisition of new motor skills but also applies to the implicit adaptation of established motor skills.

Practice Schedules Affect How Learners Correct Their Errors: Secondary Analysis From a Contextual Interference Study

Contextual interference is an established phenomenon in learning research; random practice schedules are associated with poorer performance, but superior learning, compared with blocked practice schedules. We present a secondary analysis of N = 84 healthy young adults, replicating the contextual interference effect in a time estimation task. We used the determinant of a correlation matrix to measure the amount of order in participant responses. We calculated this determinant in different phase spaces: trial space, the determinant of the previous five trials (lagged constant error 0–4); and target space, the determinant of the previous five trials of the same target. In trial space, there was no significant difference between groups (p = .98) and no Group × Lag interaction (p = .54), although there was an effect of Lag (p < .01). In target space, there were effects of Group (p = .02), Lag (p < .01), and a Group × Lag interaction (p = .03). Ultimately, randomly scheduled practice was associated with adaptive corrections but positive correlations between errors from trial to trial (e.g., overshoots followed by smaller overshoots). Blocked practice was associated with more adaptive corrections but uncorrelated responses. Our findings suggest that random practice leads to the retrieval and updating of the target from memory, facilitating long-term retention and transfer.

The effect of using indirect mental training accompanied by simultaneous feedback (final) according to the random practice scheduling in learning technical performance in the effectiveness of discus throw

1- The effect of using indirect mental training accompanied by simultaneous (final) feedback according to random practice schedule in learning technical performance on the effectiveness of discus throwing for second stage students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Contextual Interference Effects on Approach Motivation When Learning Timing Tasks: A Frontal Electroencephalography (EEG) Alpha Asymmetry Study in Older Adults.

In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of contextual interference on motivational regulation, as measured by EEG (frontal alpha asymmetry), in older adults. Participants practiced a sequenced timing task in random, algorithmic, or blocked schedules in both similar and dissimilar task difficulty conditions, with task difficulty defined by absolute timing goals (in ms) that were either close to each other (1350, 1500, 1650) or far from each other (1050, 1500, 1950), respectively. We assessed older participants' timing accuracy in these conditions, during acquisition and delayed retention learning, using the frontal alpha asymmetry index, recorded during practice, to measure motivation. On the accuracy measure in delayed retention, the algorithm practice schedule (in both similar and dissimilar conditions) was associated with significantly more accurate performance than random and blocked practice schedules. Also during delayed retention and in both task difficulty conditions, performance was better with a random schedule than a blocked schedule. On the EEG motivational measure, frontal alpha asymmetry was more often higher as practice progressed in the algorithm practice condition than in other practice conditions. However, in the random practice schedule, in late, versus early, acquisition, motivational regulation was higher. The blocked groups showed decreased motivation as practice progressed. We interpreted these findings to be in accordance with the challenge point framework and with OPTIMAL motor learning theory and valence hypothesis.

Contextual interference for skills development and transfer in laparoscopic surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Past education literature has shown benefits for random practice schedules (termed contextual interference) for skills retention and transfer to novel tasks. The purpose of fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) training is to develop skills in simulation and transfer to new in vivo intraoperative experiences. The study objective was to assess whether individuals trained over a fixed number of trials in the FLS tasks would outperform untrained controls on an unpracticed previously validated bile duct cannulation task and scoring system and to determine whether random training schedules conferred any relative advantage. 44 trainees with no laparoscopic experience were recruited to participate. 35 were randomized to practice the FLS tasks using either a blocked or random training schedule. Nine were randomized to no additional training (controls). Participant performance was measured throughout training to monitor skills acquisition and were then tested on an unpracticed bile duct cannulation simulation task 4 to 6weeks later. Outcomes included previously validated FLS scores and hand-motion analyses. All 44 participants completed the study. Trained individuals in both groups showed significant improvements in all FLS tasks after training. There were no differences between groups in performance on the cannulation task median scores (Blocked: 89.8 [IQR:37.6]; Random: 83.2 [32.3]; Control: 83.6 [19.1]; p = 0.955), number of hand motions (Blocked: 42.5 [IQR:130.3]; Random: 75.3 [111.3]; Control: 63.0 [71.8]; p = 0.912), or distance traveled by participants hands (Blocked: 2.0m [IQR:5.8]; Random: 3.8 [8.9]; Control: 2.6 [2.5]; p = 0.816). Cannulation task performance had no correlation with total FLS performance, R2 linear = 0.014, p = 0.445. Skills acquired from conventional FLS tasks did not effectively transfer to a laparoscopic bile duct cannulation task. Neither blocked nor random practice schedules conferred a relative advantage. These findings provide evidence that cannulation is a distinct skill from what is taught and assessed in FLS.

Dissimilar Phonemes Create a Contextual Interference Effect During a Nonword Repetition Task.

Purpose: The contextual interference effect is a motor learning phenomenon where conditions that decrease overall learning during practice enhance overall learning with new tasks. In the limb literature, this effect is observed when different practice conditions are used (e.g., blocked vs. random practice schedules). In speech motor learning, contextual interference effects are mixed. The differences observed during speech motor learning may be due to the stimuli used. We hypothesized that dissimilar phonemes might create interference during speech motor learning, such that training accuracy would decrease. However, generalization accuracy would increase compared to practice with nonwords containing similar phonemes. Method: Thirty young adults with typical speech and hearing participated in a motor learning study using a cross-over design. Participants engaged in nonword repetition training followed by an immediate retention and transfer task with two sets of nonwords: nonwords with similar phonemes and nonwords with dissimilar phonemes. Percent consonants correct were calculated to examine the effects of the two different types of nonwords based on the stage of skill acquisition. Results: A contextual interference effect was observed in this study using nonwords that varied in phonemic similarity. Nonwords with similar phonemes were produced with greater accuracy during the training stage of skill acquisition, and nonwords with dissimilar phonemes were produced with greater accuracy during the transfer stage. Conclusion: The proposed hypothesis for this study was met – practicing nonwords with dissimilar phonemes resulted in greater accuracy in the transfer phase of this experiment. Results indicate that phonemic dissimilarity produced contextual interference and influenced speech motor learning. These results indicate that the linguistic properties of stimuli must be factored into speech motor learning. Future research should explore if other linguistic variables interact with variables of motor learning to enhance speech practice and generalization outcomes.

Block and Random Practice: A Wii Fit Dynamic Balance Training in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of blocked and random practice schedules of balance training in dynamic balance abilities of older adults using Wii Fit balance game tasks. Method: Forty-one participants who were not receiving hospice care or living in a nursing home participated. Three Wii Fit balance tasks (tasks A, B, and C) were selected for training, and one task (task D) was selected as the transfer test among the nine tasks in the Wii Fit balance game software. Scores for tasks A and D were evaluated. Completion times for tasks B and C were evaluated. Moved distance for the functional reach test (FRT), completion time for the timed up and go test (TUG), and performance score for the Tinetti performance‐oriented mobility assessment (POMA) were also tested as clinical balance assessment outcomes. Results: The training significantly improved the performance outcomes of clinical balance assessments and task D. There were no significant group × time interaction effects and no significant main effects by group during the acquisition and retention periods of tasks A, B, and C. However, significant main effects by time were observed for tasks A, B, and C. Conclusions: When dynamic balance training such as the Wii Fit balance system is administered to older adults in a clinical setting, either a block or a random practice schedule can be effectively used to improve the dynamic balance skills. Wii Fit–based balance training is clinically effective for improving the dynamic balance ability.

Effects of contextual interference on feeding training in patients with stroke

The contextual interference (CI) effect of motor skill has been demonstrated through numerous studies. However, few studies have reported on daily living tasks in patients with stroke. This study investigated the CI effect on spooning training in such patients. Fourteen right hemiparetic patients with stroke were assigned to one of two groups: a group with a random practice schedule or a group with a blocked practice schedule. The spooning task involved scooping go stones from a bowl 30 cm away in 3 different directions to a bowl in front of the patient. We evaluated the acquisition, retention, and transfer of motor learning for spooning. The transfer was evaluated while participants ate cereal in a bowl with a spoon. Upper extremity function, defined as far-transfer, was also evaluated using the box-and-block test. In the retention test, no significant difference between random and blocked practice groups was shown, although both groups showed differences between pre-test and post-test movement times. However, in the transfer test, the random practice group had a significantly shorter movement time than the blocked practice group and also revealed improvement between the pre- and follow-up tests. Additionally, in the far-transfer test, there were significant differences between the pre- and post-, and pre- and follow-up tests only in the random practice group. These findings show that the benefits of CI for transfer can be applied to the learning of feeding skills in patients with stroke and that although the blocked practice is also partially beneficial to long-lasting skill learning in a treatment setting, it may not be efficient under changed conditions. We also suggest the possibility that feeding training with the CI effect could apply to not only transfer but also to far-transfer.

Learner-adapted practice promotes skill transfer in unskilled adults learning the basketball set shot

The current study used a complex, sport-specific movement skill to explore the effects of a win-shift/lose-stay practice schedule on learning and compared its effectiveness with that of blocked and random practice schedules. Thirty-six adults (24.9 ± 3.3 years) were assigned to blocked, random and learner-adapted training groups. Each participant performed 360 trials of the basketball set shot from multiple locations across six practice sessions. For the learner-adapted group, switching between task variations was performance-contingent; switching between shooting locations occurred only following a successful shot. Shooting success was calculated as the percentage of successful shots performed, and measured during pre-acquisition (i.e. baseline), acquisition (i.e. practice) and post-acquisition (i.e. retention and transfer). Despite scoring less shots throughout practice compared to baseline testing, the learner-adapted group showed a significant improvement for shooting success in transfer (d = 1.02). Blocked practice demonstrated significant improvements for shooting success in immediate retention (d = 1.83), delayed retention (d = 1.69) and transfer (d = 1.39). Random practice significantly improved shooting success in both immediate (d = 1.03) and delayed retention (d = 0.81). The current findings highlight that performance during practice does not necessarily represent the permanency and adaptability of skill learning. The implications of the findings and their practical applications are discussed in the context of practice scheduling during learning of a sports skill.

Assessment of Random and Blocked Practice Schedules on Motor Skills’ Acquisition, Retention and Transfer Among Selected Senior High School Students

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of blocked and random practice schedules on acquisition, retention and transfer after teaching basketball skills among novice Senior High School students. Using a quasi-experimental design, a combination of simple random and purposive sampling procedures were used to select 60 novice participants who were equally assigned to a Blocked Practice Group (BPG [N= 30]) and Random Practice Group (RPG [N= 30]) respectively. After 9 sessions of teaching and learning of chest pass, overhead pass and sidearm pass, results for skill acquisition indicated that the BPG scored higher means than the RPG in all the three motor skills. For retention, improved performance for the RPG than the BPG in all 3 skills was noted. Similar results were obtained for the transfer phase. ANOVA test for retention produced significant mean differences between the three motor skills. However, the RPG recorded more superior values for between group analyses than the BPG. Independent sample t-test also revealed significant difference between random and blocked practices in terms of overall learned skills. Based on these findings, Physical education tutors and perhaps coaches should consider adopting blocked practice approach during isolated skill learning. Additionally, random practice scheduling should be used when the main objective is based on retention and transfer of knowledge regarding motor skills, especially during competitive milieu or other analogous related activities.

Effect of Blocked Versus Random Practice on Physical Therapy Students' Manual Force Modulation.

This study examined (a) the effect of practice organization on learning to modulate manual force, and (b) the effect of force magnitude on ability to accurately reproduce force. I randomly assigned 52 novice physical therapy students to either blocked or random practice schedules as they learned to apply different manual forces. I tested students immediately after training and one week later, using a three-way mixed design analysis of variance to assess the effects of practice organization (random vs. blocked), test (immediate posttest vs. retention test), and force (high vs. low) on ability to modulate manual forces. I found that blocked versus random practice, led to more accurate force application at the posttest and retention test, F(1, 50) = 5.57, p < .05; both practice groups performed more accurately at the posttest than at the retention test, F(1, 50) = 5.6, p < .05, and both performed more accurately at the lower, compared with the higher, force level, F(1, 50) = 60.9, p < .05. These findings support use of a blocked' practice schedule for this motor training, though relevant contextual interference moderators may include such variables as nature of the task, learners' skill levels, and practice time. In addition, higher forces resulted in greater errors and must be considered in preparing for and engaging in clinical practice.

The effects of blocked and random practice on the learning of three variations of the golf chip shot

ABSTRACTThe current study investigated the acquisition of three variations of a golf chipping task using either a blocked or random practice schedule. Twenty-four individuals performed a 5.5 m chipping task in which they practised from three different ground lies. Half were randomly assigned to a blocked practice condition in which they practised all trials of one task variation before moving on to the next variation. The other half were assigned to a random practice condition in which they practised the three tasks in a random order. Acquisition consisted of 54 total trials. Ten minutes following acquisition a six-trial blocked retention test was performed, followed by a six-trial random retention test. During acquisition, individuals significantly improved their chipping performance (p < .001) but no group differences emerged (p > .05). The random condition was significantly more accurate in chipping performance during the random retention test (p < .05) but no group differences emerged for the blocked retention test (p > .05). These results suggest that increased contextual interference during practice of a golf chip task facilitates learning. Practitioners should seek to implement increased levels of CI while instructing novice golfers.

Challenge to Promote Change: The Neural Basis of the Contextual Interference Effect in Young and Older Adults.

Motor performance deteriorates with age. Hence, studying the effects of different training types on performance improvement is particularly important. Here, we investigated the neural correlates of the contextual interference (CI) effect in 32 young (YA; 16 female) and 28 older (OA; 12 female) human adults. Participants were randomly assigned to either a blocked or a random practice schedule, practiced three variations of a bimanual visuomotor task over 3 d, and were retested 6 d later. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired during the first and last training days and during retention. Although the overall performance level was lower in OA than YA, the typical CI effects were observed in both age groups, i.e., inferior performance during acquisition but superior performance during retention for random relative to blocked practice. At the neural level, blocked practice showed higher brain activity in motor-related brain regions compared with random practice across both age groups. However, although activity in these regions decreased with blocked practice in both age groups, it was either preserved (YA) or increased (OA) as a function of random practice. In contrast, random compared with blocked practice resulted in greater activations in visual processing regions across age groups. Interestingly, in OA, the more demanding random practice schedule triggered neuroplastic changes in areas of the default mode network, ultimately leading to better long-term retention. Our findings may have substantial implications for the optimization of practice schedules, and rehabilitation settings in particular.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In aging societies, it is critically important to understand how motor skills can be maintained or enhanced in older adults, with the ultimate goal to prolong functional independence. Here, we demonstrated that a more challenging random as opposed to a blocked practice environment temporarily reduced performance during the acquisition phase but resulted in lasting benefits for skill retention. In older adults, learning success was critically dependent on reduction of activation in areas of the default mode network, pointing to plastic functional changes in brain regions that are vulnerable to aging effects. The random practice context led to increased economy of brain activity and better skill retention. This provides new perspectives for reversing the negative consequences of aging.

The neurochemical basis of the contextual interference effect.

Efficient practice organization maximizes learning outcome. Although randomization of practice as compared to blocked practice damages training performance, it boosts retention performance, an effect called contextual interference. Motor learning modulates the GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acid) system within the sensorimotor cortex (SM); however, it is unclear whether different practice regimes differentially modulate this system and whether this is impacted by aging. Young and older participants were trained on 3 variations of a visuomotor task over 3 days, following either blocked or random practice schedule and retested 6 days later. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, SM and occipital cortex GABA+ levels were measured before and after training during the first and last training days. We found that (1) behavioral data confirmed the contextual interference effects, (2) within-day occipital cortex GABA+ levels decreased in random and increased in blocked group. This effect was more pronounced in older adults; and (3) baseline SM GABA+ levels predicted initial performance. These findings indicate a differential modulation of GABA levels across practice groups that is amplified by aging.

Task engagement and mental workload involved in variation and repetition of a motor skill

Explanatory hypotheses proposed in behavioral studies assumed that less repetitive practice schedules, such as random practice, seem to demand greater cognitive effort than more repetitive types of practice organization, such as constant. All of these hypotheses emphasize the enhanced demand to memory processes promoted by less repetitive practice schedules. In the present study, we investigated the cognitive effort involved in random and constant practice schedules with an electrophysiological approach. Twenty-one male participants practiced a sequential key-pressing task with two goals: learning the relative timing dimension and learning the absolute timing dimension. Sixty trials were performed in a constant practice schedule (only one absolute timing goal), and sixty trials were performed in random order (three absolute timing goals). Two electroencephalography based measures of cognitive states were used: (a) task engagement (sensory processing and attention resources) and (b) mental workload (working memory load). The results showed that random practice induced greater cognitive effort than constant practice when task engagement was analyzed. Throughout practice, both task engagement and mental workload decreased more in the constant practice condition than in the random practice condition. The increased demand for sensory processing observed in random practice opens a new exciting field of study in practice organization.

Motor learning paradigm and contextual interference in manual computer tasks in individuals with cerebral palsy

BackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders of movement and posture that cause activity limitations. Due to the different motor problems these individuals encounter there is a need to offer rehabilitation programs that promote motor learning. Additionally, the understanding of the learning patterns of these individuals can help us attend to their learning needs to maximize their learning efficiency. AimsThe present study aimed to add to the knowledge base in regards to motor learning and the contextual interference (CI) effect. Methods and proceduresThe study included 40 individuals with CP and 40 typically developing (TD) participants matched for age and gender with the CP group. Both groups were divided into 2 subgroups regarding the practice schedule (random or constant practice) of a manual maze test on the computer. The participants who performed in the constant practice schedule performed the same standard maze 30 times, while participants in the random practice schedule performed a total of 30 trials on 5 mazes with a different spatial layout including the standard maze. After 5min of rest, retention was studied with a task in which all participants performed the standard maze. To examine the transfer effect, all participants also performed a maze with a new layout. Time of completion was registered in seconds for each trial. Outcomes and resultsThe results showed that the performance was lower in individuals with CP compared to typically developing individuals. In addition, only the participants with CP showed a contextual interference effect, with performance after the random practice schedule being superior compared to participants who practiced with a constant practice schedule. Conclusions and implicationsOverall performance was lower in individuals with CP compared to individuals with TD. Additionally, both TD individuals and individuals with CP showed the contextual interference effect in the transfer phase, with the execution of random practice leading to better performance than constant practice. These findings provide important information to assist clinicians in developing rehabilitation programs for children with CP.