A study published in the Journal of Sport Psychology, with contributions from authors from the I+DEL research group and the GICAFE (Research Group in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences) at UIB, demonstrates that implementing high-intensity active breaks can benefit the selective attention of primary school students.
The study, which involved 75 students aged between 10 and 12, was divided into three groups: one group had passive breaks involving reading, another group had active breaks involving moderate-intensity interval physical activity, and the third group had active breaks involving high-intensity interval physical activity. The findings revealed that the group engaged in high-intensity interval active breaks experienced a substantial improvement in selective attention compared to the other two groups.
Given that selective attention is the ability to focus on a specific stimulus or task while ignoring irrelevant stimuli, these findings can be highly valuable, as it is an essential skill for learning and academic performance. Therefore, high-intensity active breaks could be implemented in classrooms during breaks between classes or learning sessions to potentially enhance students’ academic performance. Physical activities that can be used include short sprints, jumps, or strength exercises.
Reference
Gelabert, J., Sánchez-Azanza, V., Palou, P., & Adrià Muntaner-Mas. (2023). Efectos agudos de los descansos activos sobre la atención selectiva en escolares (Acute effects of active breaks on selective attention in schoolchildren). Revista De Psicología Del Deporte (Journal of Sport Psychology), 32(2), 277–286. https://www.rpd-online.com/index.php/rpd/article/view/1324