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Published on: October 6, 2016
Competitive versus cooperative exergame play for African American adolescents' executive function skills: short-term
Amanda E Staiano1, Anisha A Abraham, Sandra L Calvert
1Children's Digital Media Center, Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, USA. amanda.staiano@pbrc.edu
Abstract:
Exergames are videogames that require gross motor activity, thereby combining gaming with physical activity. This study examined the role of competitive versus cooperative exergame play on short-term changes in executive function skills, following a 10-week exergame training intervention. Fifty-four low-income overweight and obese African American adolescents were randomly assigned to a competitive exergame condition, a cooperative exergame condition, or a no-play control group. Youths in the competitive exergame condition improved in executive function skills more than did those in the cooperative exergame condition and the no-play control group. Weight loss during the intervention was also significantly positively correlated with improved executive function skills. The findings link competitive exergame play to beneficial cognitive outcomes for at-risk ethnic minority adolescents.
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