An external focus of attention enhances motor learning in children with intellectual disabilities

Chiviacowsky, Suzete; Wulf, Gabriele; Ávila, Luciana Toaldo Gentilini

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01569.x

Cited by 89 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…The learning advantages seen with external relative to internal focus instructions are consistent with previous studies with typical children , or children with intellectual disabilities (Chiviacowsky et al, 2013), as well as studies with adult learners (see Wulf, 2013). While control groups have been lacking in studies with children, in studies with adults control conditions almost always resulted in similar performance or learning as internal focus conditions-both of which were inferior to external focus conditions (e.g., Freudenheim et al, 2010;Wulf et al, 1998, Experiment 1;Wulf et al, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…In one study, Wulf, Chiviacowsky, Schiller, and Ávila (2010) compared the effectiveness of feedback inducing an external versus internal focus for the learning of a soccer throw-in task in 10-year-old children and found enhanced learning of movement form in the former group. Benefits of external focus instructions were also seen for the learning of a throwing task in 12-year old children with intellectual disabilities (Chiviacowsky, Wulf, & Ávila, 2013). Another study (Emanuel, Jarus, & Bart, 2008) yielded inconclusive findings regarding internal versus external focus instructions for the learning of a dart-throwing task in 8 to 9 year-old children, perhaps as a result of confounding influences of the number of instructions provided to the different groups.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Thus, further studies with children seemed desirable. In addition, control groups without attentional focus instructions were lacking in previous studies with children (Chiviacowsky et al, 2013;Emanuel et al, 2008;. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the influences of external versus internal focus instructions, as well as a control condition, on the learning of the forehand tennis stroke in children.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Children's learning of tennis skills is facilitated by external focus instructions

Hadler¹,

Chiviacowsky²,

Wulf³

et al. 2014

Motriz: rev. educ. fis.

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Abstract-The present study examined the effects of instructions promoting external versus internal foci of attention on the learning of a tennis forehand stroke in 11-year old children. Three groups of participants practiced hitting tennis balls at a target. External focus group participants were instructed to direct their attention to the movement of the racquet, while participants in the internal focus group were asked to direct their attention to the movements of their arm. Participants in a control group did not receive attentional focus instructions. Two days after the practice phase (60 trials), learning was assessed in retention and transfer tests. The results showed that the external focus group demonstrated greater accuracy in hitting a target relative to the two other groups in retention, and relative to the internal focus group in transfer. We conclude that instructions inducing an external focus of attention can enhance children's sport skill learning. Keywords: motor learning, attention, childhood, sportsResumo-"Aprendizagem de habilidades do tênis em crianças é facilitada por instruções de foco externo." O presente estudo examinou os efeitos de instruções promovendo foco de atenção externo versus interno na aprendizagem da rebatida de forehand do tênis em crianças de 11 anos de idade. Três grupos de participantes praticaram a tarefa. Os participantes do grupo de foco externo foram instruídos a direcionar a atenção para os movimentos da raquete, enquanto os participantes no grupo de foco interno a direcionar a atenção aos movimentos do braço. Participantes do grupo controle não receberam instruções de foco de atenção. Dois dias após a prática (60 tentativas) a aprendizagem foi avaliada através de testes de retenção e transferência. Os resultados demonstraram que o grupo de foco externo apresentou maior precisão em relação aos dois outros grupos na retenção e em relação ao grupo de foco interno na transferência. Conclui-se que instruções induzindo foco externo de atenção pode melhorar a aprendizagem de habilidades esportivas em crianças. Palavras-chave: aprendizagem motora, atenção, infância, esportesResumen-"Aprendizaje de habilidades del tenis en los niños es facilitada por instrucciones con foco externo." El presente estudio examinó los efectos de las instrucciones con foco de atención interno frente a externo en el aprendizaje de "forehand" del tenis en niños. Tres grupos de participantes practicaron la tarea. Los participantes en el grupo de foco externo fueron instruidos para dirigir la atención a los movimientos de la raqueta, mientras que los participantes en el grupo de foco interno a poner la atención a los movimientos del brazo. El grupo control no recibió instrucciones de foco de atención. Dos días después el aprendizaje se evaluó mediante pruebas de retención y transferencia. Los resultados mostraron que el grupo de foco externo presentó mayor precisión en relación con los otros grupos en la retención y al grupo de foco interno en la transferencia. Llegamos a la conclusión de que las ins...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Children's learning of tennis skills is facilitated by external focus instructions

Hadler¹,

Chiviacowsky²,

Wulf³

et al. 2014

Motriz: rev. educ. fis.

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show abstract

“…According to the constrained action hypothesis, adopting EF allows a healthy individual to use automatic motor control processes that naturally occur in the motor system to facilitate motor skill learning, whereas IF disrupts the automaticity of the motor system, impeding maximum motor performance. [4][5][6][7] Research involving healthy individuals widely supports the use of an EF of attention during motor training to facilitate greater retention of motor improvements. 4,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Furthermore, IF may actually interfere with the acquisition of new motor skills.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[4][5][6][7] Research involving healthy individuals widely supports the use of an EF of attention during motor training to facilitate greater retention of motor improvements. 4,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Furthermore, IF may actually interfere with the acquisition of new motor skills. 5,15 Few studies [17][18][19] have specifically examined the role of attentional focus during motor performance in individuals recovering from stroke.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Response From the Authors

Hinojosa

Rao

Batavia

et al. 2018

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

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Objective: To compare the long-term effects of external focus (EF) and internal focus (IF) of attention after 4 weeks of arm training. Design: Randomized, repeated-measures, mixed analysis of variance. Setting: Outpatient clinic. Participants: Individuals with stroke and moderate-to-severe arm impairment living in the community (NZ33; withdrawals: nZ3). Interventions: Four-week arm training protocol on a robotic device (12 sessions). Main Outcome Measures: Joint independence, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and Wolf Motor Function Test measured at baseline, discharge, and 4-week follow-up. Results: There were no between-group effects for attentional focus. Participants in both groups improved significantly on all outcome measures from baseline to discharge and maintained those changes at 4-week follow-up regardless of group assignment (joint independence EF condition: F Conclusions: There were no differences in retention of motor skills between EF and IF participants 4 weeks after arm training, suggesting that individuals with moderate-to-severe arm impairment may not experience the advantages of an EF found in healthy individuals. Attentional focus is most likely not an active ingredient for retention of trained motor skills for individuals with moderate-to-severe arm impairment, whereas dosage and intensity of practice appear to be pivotal. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of attentional focus for individuals with mild arm impairment.

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Developing a School‐Based Physical Activity Protocol for Those with Intellectual Disabilities

Fitzpatrick,

Breslin,

Taggart

2016

Sport and Exercise Psychology

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An external focus of attention enhances motor learning in children with intellectual disabilities

Abstract: The present findings show that instructions that induce an external focus of attention can enhance motor learning in children with IDs.

Cited by 89 publications

References 50 publications

Children's learning of tennis skills is facilitated by external focus instructions

Children's learning of tennis skills is facilitated by external focus instructions

Response From the Authors

Developing a School‐Based Physical Activity Protocol for Those with Intellectual Disabilities

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