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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Mar:65:102373.
doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102373. Epub 2022 Dec 23.

How divergent are children's divergent movements? The role of cognition and expertise in a class-randomized cross-over trial

Antonio De Fano  1 , Valentin Benzing  2 , Giancarlo Condello  3 , Rafael Ballester  4 , Nicoletta Tocci  5 , Rosalba Marchetti  5 , Caterina Pesce  6 , Mirko Schmidt  2
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Randomized Controlled Trial

How divergent are children's divergent movements? The role of cognition and expertise in a class-randomized cross-over trial

Antonio De Fano et al. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating (1) the cognitive and motor predictors of divergent movement ability (DMA) in childhood and (2) the role of sport and enriched physical education (PE) experience. Participants were 165 fifth graders, aged 10-11 years, with different histories (onset and duration) of participation in enriched PE. They were assessed in cognitive/attentional and motor/sport skills and active play/sport habits at baseline, and six months later in DMA. Results of regression analyses showed an overall prediction of DMA by sport practice and a nuanced prediction of individual DMA indices (fluency, flexibility, originality) by decision making and spatial attention ability. Linear mixed models revealed better DMA in children exposed to enriched PE, with differential effects on DMA indices depending on its duration and earlier/later onset. The results identify novel cognitive determinants of children's DMA and suggest that sport practice and experience of designed enrichment in PE may benefit DMA.

Keywords: Constraint-led approach; Executive function; Motor creativity; Spatial attention; Sport.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: C.P., G.C. and R.M. received honoraria from Soremartec for developing and monitoring the enriched PE program and for training teachers. N.T. received honoraria for training teachers. However, their role in the research project granted by the corporate has not influenced the outcomes reported in this article. A.D.F., V.B., R.B. and M.S. had no involvement in securing the funding for this research and received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The funders had no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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