Competitive Versus Cooperative Exergame Play for African American Adolescents' Executive Function Skills: Short-term Effects in a Long-term Training Intervention

Overview

Journal Dev Psychol

Publisher American Psychological Association

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychology

Date 2012 Feb 29

PMID 22369339

Citations 37

Authors

Amanda E Staiano

Anisha A Abraham

Sandra L Calvert

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Exergames are videogames that require gross motor activity, thereby combining gaming with physical activity. This study examined the role of competitive versus cooperative exergame play on short-term changes in executive function skills, following a 10-week exergame training intervention. Fifty-four low-income overweight and obese African American adolescents were randomly assigned to a competitive exergame condition, a cooperative exergame condition, or a no-play control group. Youths in the competitive exergame condition improved in executive function skills more than did those in the cooperative exergame condition and the no-play control group. Weight loss during the intervention was also significantly positively correlated with improved executive function skills. The findings link competitive exergame play to beneficial cognitive outcomes for at-risk ethnic minority adolescents.

Citing Articles

Effects of Exergaming on executive function and motor ability in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Kou R, Zhang Z, Zhu F, Tang Y, Li Z PLoS One. 2024; 19(9):e0309462.

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Changes in concentration performance and alternating attention after short-term virtual reality training in E-athletes: a pilot study.

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A Literature Review on the Effects of Exergames on Executive Function in Youth.

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Associations between waist circumference and executive function among Chinese Tibetan adolescents living at high altitude.

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Acute Effects of Exergaming on Students' Executive Functions and Situational Interest in Elementary Physical Education.

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