Ejercicio físico aeróbico y atención selectiva en escolares de educación primaria (Aerobic physical exercise and selective attention in primary school children)

Abstract

El ejercicio físico puede tener efectos beneficiosos sobre las funciones cognitivas y el rendimiento académico. Entre las funciones cognitivas, el estudio de la atención en escolares ha adquirido un especial interés por su posible influencia en aspectos concretos tales como el rendimiento académico o la integración social. El objetivo fue analizar el efecto agudo de una sesión de ejercicio físico aeróbico sobre la atención selectiva en una muestra de 48 niños y 40 niñas (Edad, M ± DT = 9.48 ± .505 años). Se empleó un diseño de estudio cuasi-experimental con un grupo control y otro experimental. El ejercicio físico consistió en recorrer una milla lo más rápidamente posible. Se midió la atención selectiva con el Test de Caras. El grupo experimental se dividió en dos subgrupos (menor v. mayor) según el tiempo empleado en la milla. Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas en aciertos (p = .012), control inhibitorio (p = .020) y omisiones (p = .007) tras la intervención. Se detectó una correlación inversa entre el tiempo empleado en el ejercicio físico y aciertos (p = .022). El análisis de la varianza detectó registros superiores en aciertos (p = .047) en el grupo con menor tiempo empleado. Los resultados sugieren que la realización de una sesión de ejercicio físico aeróbico de corta duración podría tener efectos agudos positivos en la atención selectiva. La realización en menor tiempo de un ejercicio físico como la milla se relaciona con una mejor atención selectiva. Tener una mejor capacidad aeróbica podría relacionarse con una mayor atención selectiva. 
 Abstract. Physical exercise can have beneficial effects on cognitive functions and academic performance. Among cognitive functions, the study of attention in schoolchildren has acquired special interest due to its possible influence on specific aspects such as academic performance or social integration. The objective was analyze the acute effect of an aerobic physical exercise session on selective attention in a sample of 48 boys and 40 girls (Age, M ± DT = 9.48 ± .505 years). A quasi-experimental study design with a control group and an experimental group was used. Physical exercise involves walking a mile as quickly as possible. Selective attention was measured with the Face Test. The experimental group was divided into two subgroups (minor v. major) according to the time spent in the mile. The results of the differences affected in correct answers (p = .012), inhibitory control (p = .020) and omissions (p = .007) after the intervention. An inverse correlation was detected between the time spent on physical exercise and correct answers (p = .022). The analysis of variance detected higher records in correct answers (p = .047) in the group with less time spent. The results suggest that performing a short duration aerobic exercise session could have positive acute effects on selective attention. Performing physical exercise like the mile in less time is related to better selective attention. A better aerobic capacity could be related to more selective attention.

Physical activity in students and its association with attention. A systematic review

“…76 %). In relation to articles that evaluated physical fitness, the studies by Rosa et al (2021) and Pérez-Lobato et al (2016) argue that adolescents who had better aerobic fitness and physical fitness respectively presented better selective attention. No study reported a decrease in attention after PA implementation.…”

“…Regarding the types of attention, selective attention was the dimension that was most evaluated in the studies with 19 of the 33 articles (57%). Of the 19 articles that evaluated selective attention, 12 (63%) claimed an improvement in its levels in relation to the initial parameters, these interventions varied in number of sessions between one single session (Rosa et al, 2021) up to 12 weeks (about three months) with two weekly sessions (Martínez-López et al, 2018). Similarly, the intensities and timing of the applications varied, ranging from four minutes of high-intensity activities (Ma.…”

“…The studies by Ma. J et al (2015) and Martínez-López et al (2018) found acute effects on selective attention after applying high-intensity interventions, while Altenburg et al (2015) and Rosa et al (2021) found acute effects on selective attention with MPA interventions, Ruiz-Ariza et al ( 2021) evidenced acute effects on selective attention with both high and low intensity active breaks, likewise, Gallotta et al (2020) found acute effects, but on sustained attention with racquet practice activities.…”

“…However, outside the PE class, long periods of SB occur in schoolchildren that are unfavorably associated with body composition, physical fitness, prosocial behavior and self-esteem (Saunders et al, 2022) therefore, for managers and teachers to implement PA programs in the classroom, they need to be convinced that these programs benefit students and facilitate academic processes (Mahar, 2019). In this sense, the practice of PA and exercise becomes a strategy supported by great scientific evidence that demonstrates a broad impact on strengthening health (WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour., 2021), and CI such as attention (Altermann & Gröpel, 2023;Gallotta et al, 2015;Polevoy, 2022;Rosa et al, 2021;Tseng et al, 2021).…”

ody percussion as a pedagogical resource. Bibliometric study on body percussion based exclusively on secondary search engines

“…On the other hand, several studies show how through Physical Education and movement there are improvements in different areas such as: selective attention and inhibitory control in Primary Education (Rosa et al, 2020;Rosa et al, 2021); the motivation of young children to learn English vocabulary through singing, dancing and physical movement (Pacheco et al, 2022); vocabulary acquisition and in the retrieval of long-term memory in second languages (Padial et al, 2022); socio-affective skills and violence prevention in Primary Education (Aguilar et al, 2021); cognitive functions of the elderly (Romero et al, 2021), as well as in their quality of life through active aging (Martínez et al, 2021); Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and more significantly inattention (Palma et al, 2021); psychomotor and linguistic development in early care (Zambrano et al, 2022); or basic locomotor motor skills (Pérez et al, 2022).…”