Cognitive-motor dual-task training differentially affects visual working memory, multifocal attention, and...

Cognitive and physical efforts draw on shared resources that are essential for athletic performance. However, traditional laboratory-based interventions often lack ecological validity and show limited transfer to real-game contexts. Cognitive-motor dual-task (CMDT) training addresses this limitation by integrating cognitively demanding tasks into sport-specific motor practice. This study examined the effects of a 10-month CMDT intervention on visuospatial working memory, multifocal attention, and multisensory integration. The sample comprised 34 youth soccer players (mean age = 9.2 ± 1.82 years) recruited from a talent development center. Participants were evenly allocated to either a CMDT intervention or a control group based on their biological and sporting age as well as their coaches' evaluation of player ability. Cognitive performance was assessed using three screen-based tasks - Visuospatial Working Memory (VSWM), Multiple Object Tracking (MOT) and Sound-Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI) - to evaluate pre- to post-intervention changes in both groups. While no significant CMDT-related improvement was observed in spatial transformation and perspective-taking abilities (VSWM task), the primary analyses suggested CMDT-related improvements in multifocal attention (MOT task), and more robust effects were observed for multisensory integration (SIFI task). These findings suggest that embedding cognitive demands into sport-specific motor practice may be an effective approach to strengthening executive functions that are essential for high-level athletic performance.