Integrating Kata Training into School Education: Effects on Sustained Attention and Cognitive Performance in 8-9-Year-Old Children

Abstract

(1) Background: The ability to sustain attention in primary school children aged 8-9 years plays a critical role in maintaining focus for extended periods, enabling them to comprehend and integrate large amounts of information. Enhancing sustained attention during this formative stage significantly improves a child's capacity to acquire and consolidate new skills and knowledge, laying a strong foundation for academic and cognitive development. (2) Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of an 8-week kata training program on attention and its components in 8-9-year-old school-age children, a critical developmental period for attention. (3) Methods: After excluding the participants who gave a low number of correct answers in the pre-test or created a ceiling effect, 43 participants, aged 9.12 ± 0.40 years, were included in this study. This study, conducted during the academic term, included three measurement phases and a familiarization session. Attention parameters were evaluated using the Bourdon-Vos Test, and participants were categorized into Low Performers (LP) and High Performers (HP) based on pre-test scores. The intervention group (INT) underwent kata training thrice weekly for 8 weeks, while the control group (CON) followed their regular activities. Post-training, attention parameters were reassessed using the Bourdon-Vos Test. (4) Results: In the post-intervention analysis, significant improvements in the number of correct responses were observed in both the LP (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = -1.333) and HP (p = 0.001, Cohen's d = -1.644) groups within the INT group. In the CON group, significant improvement was observed only in the HP group (p = 0.031, Cohen's d = -0.948). Regarding attention processing speed, significant pre-post improvements were found exclusively in the INT group (p < 0.001). Block-wise analysis revealed significant differences only in Block 1 of the CON group (p = 0.011, Cohen's d = -0.522). However, in the INT group, significant improvements were observed in both Block 1 (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = -1.200) and Block 2 (p = 0.004, Cohen's d = -0.678). (5) Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the effectiveness of an 8-week kata training program in enhancing sustained attention and cognitive processing speed among 8-9-year-old children, particularly in low-performing groups. This suggests that integrating structured kata-based motor and cognitive activities into school curricula can serve as a promising strategy for addressing attention deficits and promoting cognitive development during this critical developmental period. Future studies should examine the long-term effects of kata training on attention and related cognitive functions, such as working memory and executive control. Investigating neurophysiological mechanisms through neuroimaging and including diverse age groups with larger samples could further validate these findings.

Keywords: academic achievement; cognitive processing speed; kata exercise; pre-school children; sustain attention.

Figure 1

Participation flow chart.

Figure 2

Study design outlining the process, including familiarization and demographic/anthropometric data collection, pre-test Bourdon–Vos Test assessment, Kata intervention (for the intervention group only), and post-test Bourdon–Vos Test assessment.

Figure 3

Post-session correct response change counts analysis between performance groups. The left panel (LP), center panel (HP), and right panel (ALL) groups are shown in the figure. Asterisks indicate the level of statistical significance. Each panel contains three blocks of 6 min each in which the Bourdon–Vos Test was performed.

Figure 4

Performance groups and analysis of accuracy response number of changes before and after conditions. The figure displays the upper panel (LP), middle panel (HP), and bottom panel (ALL) groups. Asterisks indicate statistical significance level: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. Each panel includes three blocks, each lasting 6 min, where the Bourdon–Vos Test is administered.

Figure 5

Processing speed values in the pre-post Bourdon–Vos Test results of all groups are demonstrated by vertical bars, and significance is marked with an asterisk, *** p < 0.001.

Figure 6

Block analysis on the rate of accuracy response changes between performance groups and conditions. The left panel (LP), mid panel (HP), and right panel (ALL) groups are shown. The dashed line indicates the intervention, and the solid line refers to the control group. The vertical axis presents an accuracy index. Each panel incorporates three blocks of time for the administration of the Bourdon–Vos Test, with 2 min each. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.