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Disentangling the relationship between children's motor ability, executive function and academic achievement
Mirko Schmidt1, Fabienne Egger1, Valentin Benzing1
1Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Plos One
|August 18, 2017
Summary
Executive function mediates the link between children's motor ability and academic achievement. Motor coordination specifically, but not endurance or strength, significantly impacts academic success through executive function.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- The relationship between children's motor skills and academic performance is established, but the underlying cognitive mechanisms remain unclear.
- Executive function has been proposed as a key mediator, yet empirical evidence is limited.
- Understanding this link is crucial for developing effective educational and physical activity interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of executive function in the association between motor ability and academic achievement in children.
- To examine the specific contributions of different motor abilities (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, motor coordination) to this mediated relationship.
- To provide empirical support for models linking physical activity, executive function, and academic success.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 236 children aged 10-12 years, assessed at three time points (10-week intervals).
- Measures included motor ability (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, motor coordination), core executive functions (updating, inhibition, shifting), and academic achievement (mathematics, reading, spelling).
- Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the direct and indirect effects.
Main Results:
- Executive function significantly mediated the relationship between overall motor ability and academic achievement, indicated by a significant indirect effect.
- All three motor abilities were positively associated with academic achievement.
- Motor coordination, specifically, showed a significant mediation effect through executive function, explaining a notable variance in academic achievement.
Conclusions:
- Executive function serves as a critical mechanism linking children's motor ability, particularly motor coordination, to academic achievement.
- Findings support the integration of motor skill development into physical education programs to enhance cognitive functions and academic outcomes.
- This research underscores the importance of a holistic approach to child development, recognizing the interplay between physical, cognitive, and academic domains.
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