Table tennis and cognitive skills: A study on attention and decision making in sports science students

This research aimed to reveal the effects of table tennis on students' careful decision-making and concentration skills. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design with groups assigned through random allocation. The study was carried out with a total of 28 students (Xage = 20.65 ± 1.70), 14 of whom were studying at the department of physical education and sports of a state university and taking an elective table tennis course (Xage 19.79 ± 1.89) and 14 who did not take a table tennis course (Xage 21.43 ± 1.16). The data in the research were obtained using the "Personal Information Form", "D2 Attention Test" and "Melbourne Decision Making Scale". Analysis of variance (2x2 ANOVA) was used for repeated measures in the analysis of data. According to the research findings, an increase was observed in the pre-test-post-test mean scores for concentration and careful decision-making in the experimental group. Similarly, a smaller increase was observed in the control group. Analysis results revealed that the time effect was significant for the variables of concentration performance (F = 16.328; p < .001) and careful decision-making (F = 4.759; p = .038). However, it was determined that the group × time interaction was not significant for the variables of concentration performance (F = 1.879; p = 0.182) and careful decision-making (F = 3.933; p = 0.058). In conclusion, while table tennis is thought to contribute to the development of attention and decision-making skills, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to more clearly establish the intervention's effects.