Effects of Soccer-Specific Cognitive-Motor Training on Executive Functions, Decision-Making, and Skill Performance in Soccer Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 64
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Video-Based Soccer Decision Accuracy
研究概览
简要总结
This study will examine whether an 8-week soccer-specific cognitive-motor training program can improve executive functions, decision-making, and soccer skill performance in youth soccer players. Soccer players often need to scan the field, process information quickly, choose appropriate actions, and perform technical skills under pressure. The training program is designed to combine soccer skills with game-like cognitive demands, such as recognizing opponents' movement, selecting passing or dribbling options, and responding to changing play situations.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either a soccer-specific cognitive-motor training group or an active control technical training group. Both groups will train three times per week for eight weeks in addition to their usual soccer training. The study will compare changes in soccer decision-making, executive functions, and skill performance from baseline to post-intervention and to a four-week retention test.
详细描述
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether incorporating cognitive elements into basic soccer dribbling drills influences cognitive task performance and motor skill learning in adolescents. Cognitive elements integrated into the practice were designed to engage processes such as attention control, inhibitory control, and working memory during motor execution.
The study employed a randomized controlled design with two parallel groups. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group, which performed cognitively integrated soccer dribbling drills, or a control group, which performed traditional soccer dribbling drills without explicit cognitive engagement. The intervention consisted of a single practice session lasting approximately 30 minutes.
Cognitive performance was evaluated using computerized versions of the Flanker task and the 2-back task. Motor skill learning was assessed using standardized soccer dribbling performance tests. All outcome measures were collected immediately before and after the intervention session to capture acute effects. The study design allows for controlled comparison of cognitive-integrated and traditional practice approaches in an adolescent population.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Other
- 盲法
- Single (Care Provider)
盲法说明
Only the coaches delivering the intervention are blinded to group allocation. Participants and outcome assessors are not blinded due to the nature of the intervention.
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 16 Years 至 18 Years（Child, Adult）
- 性别
- Male
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Male adolescents aged 16-18 years;
- •Healthy students with no recent injury affecting movement or physical activity;
- •Normal or corrected-to-normal vision;
- •Not taking any medication during the study period;
排除标准
- •Diagnosed neurological disorders;
- •Diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders;
- •Use of medications known to affect cognitive function
研究组 & 干预措施
Cognitively Engaging Soccer Training
Participants assigned to the experimental arm will receive soccer-specific cognitive-motor training in addition to their usual soccer training. The program will last 8 weeks, with 3 sessions per week and approximately 45 minutes per session. Each session will combine soccer technical practice with game-like cognitive demands, including scanning before receiving the ball, recognizing opponent pressure, identifying target players, selecting between passing, dribbling, or shooting options, responding to transition cues, and performing under time or opponent pressure. Training tasks will progress from constrained perception-action drills to conditioned small-sided games. The intervention is designed to improve executive functions, decision-making, and soccer skill performance under representative match-like conditions.
干预措施: Cognitively Engaging Soccer Practice (Behavioral)
Conventional Soccer Training
Participants assigned to the control arm will receive active technical training in addition to their usual soccer training. The program will last 8 weeks, with 3 sessions per week and approximately 45 minutes per session. Training will include conventional soccer technical drills, such as passing patterns, dribbling circuits, receiving and turning exercises, ball-control activities, and finishing practice. The control sessions will be matched with the experimental arm for training duration, session frequency, general soccer content, and approximate physical workload. However, they will not systematically include game-like cognitive-motor constraints such as opponent-pressure recognition, target-player identification, decision-switching cues, or structured pass/dribble/shoot choice demands.
干预措施: Conventional Soccer Practice (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
Video-Based Soccer Decision Accuracy
时间窗: Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.
Video-based soccer decision accuracy will be used as the primary outcome to assess soccer-specific decision-making performance. Participants will view attacking and transition scenarios from a field-player perspective. Each video will be occluded at a critical decision point, and participants will select the most appropriate action, such as pass, dribble, shoot, switch play, or retain possession. Decision accuracy will be calculated as the percentage of responses that match the expert consensus answer. Higher scores indicate better soccer-specific decision-making performance.
Reaction time on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task)
时间窗: Baseline (pre-intervention, Day 1) and immediately post-intervention (Day 1)
Reaction time (in milliseconds) will be recorded for correct responses during computerized Stroop and 2-back tasks. Mean reaction time across trials will be calculated separately for each task at each assessment time point.
Response accuracy on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task)
时间窗: Baseline (pre-intervention, Day 1) and immediately post-intervention (Day 1)
Response accuracy will be calculated as the percentage of correct responses during computerized Stroop and 2-back tasks. Accuracy values will be summarized for each task at baseline and immediately after the intervention.
次要结局
- Dribbling performance time(Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.)
- Reaction time on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task)(Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.)
- Response accuracy on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task)(Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.)
- Dribbling performance time(Baseline (pre-intervention, Day 1) and immediately post-intervention (Day 1))
研究者
Fan Mao
Clinical Professor
Qingdao University