Physical Activity-Based Methodologies as a Physical Education Resource for Inhibitory Control: A Systematic Review...

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Educational Psychology
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Executive functions are crucial for learning and development.
• Physical activity is increasingly recognized for its cognitive benefits.
• The impact of active methodologies on early years executive functions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review physical activity interventions targeting inhibitory control in early childhood and primary education.
• To quantify the overall effect size of these interventions on inhibitory control.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across major databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Eric, PsycINFO).
• Quantitative synthesis including meta-analysis of 16 selected studies.
• Meta-regression analysis to explore factors influencing effect size.

Main Results:

• A small overall effect size (g = 0.25) was found for physical activity interventions on inhibitory control.
• Intervention type and session length did not significantly impact effect size.
• The number of sessions positively correlated with effect size (p = 0.010).

Conclusions:

• Physically active methodologies may offer minor benefits for inhibitory control in children.
• The certainty of evidence is very low, necessitating cautious interpretation.
• Further high-quality research is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.