Evolución de la atención, concentración y rendimiento académico tras una intervención basada en descansos activos

Abstract

El objetivo principal de la investigación ha sido analizar la evolución de la atención y concentración en jóvenes estudiantes, tras la implementación de un programa basado en descansos activos o Activity Breaks en la asignatura de Lengua Castellana y Literatura. La muestra, compuesta por 31 estudiantes, 14 chicas y 17 chicos, del primer curso de la Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria (edad media 12.13 años), se dividió en dos grupo clase: grupo control y grupo experimental. La intervención, de 7 semanas, implementada durante las lecciones en el aula, permitió aumentar la cantidad de actividad física diaria. Mediante el instrumento de medida “Test de atención D2”, se midió la atención y la concentración, y a través de un texto dictado el rendimiento ortográfico, los datos se recogieron tanto en la fase previa, como tras la intervención. Los resultados indican un aumento estadísticamente significativo tanto en la variable atención como en la variable concentración en el grupo experimental. En cuanto a los contenidos relativos a Lengua Castellana y Literatura, ortografía, no se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas. The main objective of the research has been to study the evolution of attention and concentration after the implementation of a programme based on Activity Breaks in the subject Spanish Language and Literature. The sample, formed by 31 students, 14 girls and 17 boys, from the first course o Compulsory Secondary Education (average age 12.13 years), was divided into two class groups, control group and experimental group. The intervention, of 7 weeks, implemented during the lessons in the classroom, allowed the amount of daily physical activity to be increased. By the measurement instrument “Attention Test D2” attention and concentration and by the text dictated spelling performance was measured, data was collected in the previous phase and after the intervention. The results indicate a statically significant increase in attention and concentration variable in experiential group. Regarding the Spanish Language and Literature contents, orthography, no statistically significant differences were observed.

Effect of an Active Break Intervention on Attention, Concentration, Academic Performance, and Self-Concept in Compulsory Secondary Education

“…As mentioned above, there is controversy among the reviewed studies. Although some studies such as Contreras Jordán et al [ 40 ] and Peiris et al [ 43 ] support the improvement of AP after intervention with AB, the results of the current study coincide with other studies in which the desired AP was also not obtained [ 17 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Taking Nieto Martín’s [ 11 ] case into account, the results obtained in this paper may be because AP is a multifactorial variable influenced by personal and social factors.…”

“…Research by Bartholomew et al [ 19 ] (mathematics, language arts, and science), Fiorilli et al [ 20 ] (mathematics), Macdonald et al [ 21 ] (mathematics and reading), Magistro et al [ 22 ] (arithmetic reasoning), Mavilidi et al [ 23 ], and Mok et al [ 24 ] reported significant differences between groups following AB interventions. In contrast, research by Arribas-Galarraga et al [ 17 ] (spelling), Donnelly et al [ 25 ] (mathematics, reading comprehension, spelling), Egger et al [ 26 ] (spelling and reading), Erwin et al [ 27 ] (mathematics and reading), Fedewa et al [ 28 ] (mathematics), Mullender-Wijnsma et al [ 29 ] (reading, spelling, mathematics, mathematics speed), Raney et al [ 30 ], Snyder et al [ 31 ], Solberg et al [ 32 ], van den Berg et al [ 33 ], and Young-Jones et al [ 34 ] showed no significant differences between the groups. In addition, Mullender-Wijnsma et al [ 35 ] found a significant effect between the AB and control groups in some of the groups, but not in all groups.…”

“…However, in the Scholz et al [ 44 ] study, the difference between groups was not significant after the first six months of intervention, but it was significant at the beginning and end of the second year of intervention. In the study by Arribas-Galarraga et al [ 17 ], the level of concentration improved significantly in the intervention group, but the results did not show significant differences between the intervention and control groups after the application of CF-ABs. Similarly, Mercader [ 45 ] observed no significant differences between the groups after a mindfulness-based intervention.…”

“…There is also a large body of research that has analyzed the impact of active breaks on AP, although the results point in opposite directions. Active breaks (AB) are breaks during lessons, lasting 5 to 10 min, for moderate or vigorous physical activity [ 17 , 18 ]. Research by Bartholomew et al [ 19 ] (mathematics, language arts, and science), Fiorilli et al [ 20 ] (mathematics), Macdonald et al [ 21 ] (mathematics and reading), Magistro et al [ 22 ] (arithmetic reasoning), Mavilidi et al [ 23 ], and Mok et al [ 24 ] reported significant differences between groups following AB interventions.…”

“…Similarly, Contreras Jordán et al [ 40 ] analyzed the incidence in the intervention group, pointing to a significant increase in attention levels after ABs. Research by Arribas-Galarraga et al [ 17 ] observed significant differences after the intervention based on curricular-focused breaks (CF-ABs) in the intervention group, but not in comparison with the control group. In the study of Bartholomew et al [ 19 ], they analyzed the incidence of CF-ABs on attention after the implementation of the program Texas I-CAN!…”