Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 28, 2025
07:31
A Computerized Functional Skills Assessment and Training Program Targeting Technology Based Everyday Functional Skills
Published on: February 13, 2020
7.0K
An app-enhanced cognitive fitness training program for athletes: The rationale and validation protocol
Eugene Aidman1,2,3, Gerard J Fogarty1,4, John Crampton1
1College of Sport and Exercise Psychologists, Australian Psychological Society, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Frontiers in Psychology
|September 16, 2022
Summary
Cognitive fitness training, based on the Cognitive Fitness Framework (CF2), can enhance attention and cognitive control. A new program for athletes uses deliberate practice to improve performance under pressure.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology and sports science.
- Neuroscience and mental health research.
Background:
- Cognitive fitness, encompassing attention and cognitive control, is crucial for high-pressure performance across various demanding occupations.
- The Cognitive Fitness Framework (CF2) integrates constructs from the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, focusing on cognitive processes underlying behavior.
- Cognitive fitness, analogous to physical fitness, is amenable to improvement through targeted training and deliberate practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the development of a prototype cognitive fitness training program for competitive athletes.
- To outline the evaluation protocol for this novel training program.
- To enhance cognitive capacities and skills for optimizing training rhythms and competition readiness.
Main Methods:
- Development of a Cognitive Gym program with smartphone app integration, featuring training protocols (drills) within a periodized plan.
- Creation of a supporting website with background resources.
- A three-week pilot evaluation with national-level training squads, utilizing gamified cognitive assessments and coaching staff feedback.
- Examination of both near and far transfer effects of the training.
Main Results:
- The study reports the successful development of a prototype cognitive fitness training program.
- The evaluation protocol is established for assessing program efficacy and usability.
- The program targets key cognitive capacities and skills for athletic performance enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive fitness training offers a viable method for improving key cognitive dimensions like attention and cognitive control.
- The developed program and evaluation protocol provide a foundation for enhancing athletic readiness and performance.
- Deliberate practice within a structured program can lead to measurable improvements in cognitive function relevant to competitive sports.
