European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 18, 3 (2025) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2024.013

The effect of attentional focus based on learning stages on motor learning in children with intellectual disabilities

Rasool Zeidabadi1*, Ensieh Sadat Askari Tabar1, Morteza Pourazar2
1 Faculty of Sport Science, Hakim Sabzevari university, Sabzevar, Iran
2 Department of Physical Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different focus of attention (Internal, External, and Mixed) instructions on the acquisition and learning of a throwing skill in children with intellectual disabilities. Thirty boys with intellectual disabilities (M = 12.1 SD = 1.42 years) with an intelligence quotient ranging between 50 and 69 participated in this study.  All participants were randomly assigned to three groups (internal: focusing on the movements of their throwing hand, external: focusing on the movement of the beanbag, and mixed: focusing on the movement of their hand in the first half of training and focusing on the movement of the beanbag in the rest of training). Participants were asked to throw beanbags overhand at a circular target according to their attentional instructions. The results of this study showed that all groups had significant progress during the acquisition phase, although there was no significant interaction effect and all three attention focus strategies are similar. Also, the results of immediate and delayed retention tests showed a significant difference between the mixed and internal focus of attention groups, with better learning outcomes for the mixed group. The findings indicated that if the instructions regarding the focus of attention are provided based on the learning stages, it can be more beneficial for children with ID than presenting a single type of attentional focus throughout the entire learning process.

Keywords: Focus of attention; intellectual disabilities; motor skill; learning

Received: September 25, 2023; Revised: September 25, 2024; Accepted: November 15, 2024; Published online: June 15, 2025  Show citation

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Zeidabadi, R., Tabar, E.S.A., & Pourazar, M. (2025). The effect of attentional focus based on learning stages on motor learning in children with intellectual disabilities. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 18, Article 3. https://doi.org/10.5507/euj.2024.013
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