What a shot! Effect of biathlon and badminton on attention of preteens in middle schools: a longitudinal study.

The aim of the present study was to test the effect of a biathlon and badminton programme, two activities requiring high cognitive engagement, on attention, executive functions, and visuo-manual coordination of preteens in a school context. We compared these two intervention programmes with a runnin...

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Published in:International Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 700 - 722
Main Authors: Pinelli, Mathieu, Portrat, Sophie, Dessus, Philippe, Joet, Gwenaelle, Eichenlaub, Jean-Baptiste, Brugniaux, Julien, Palluel, Estelle
Format: Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd May2026
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: May2026
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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        10.1080/1612197X.2025.2477144
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        atl: What a shot! Effect of biathlon and badminton on attention of preteens in middle schools: a longitudinal study.
      aug:
        au:
          Pinelli, Mathieu
          Portrat, Sophie
          Dessus, Philippe
          Joet, Gwenaelle
          Eichenlaub, Jean-Baptiste
          Brugniaux, Julien
          Palluel, Estelle
        affil:
          Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, Grenoble, France
          LaRAC, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
          SENS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
          Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
          HP2, INSERM 1300, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
          CNRS UMR 5525, VetAgro Sup, Grenoble INP, TIMC, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
      su:
        Attention
        Executive function
        Middle schools
        Badminton (Game)
        Preteens
        Physical education
        Visuomotor coordination
        Shooting (Sports)
      sug:
        subj:
          Attention
          Executive function
          Middle schools
          Elementary and Secondary Schools
          Sports and Recreation Instruction
          Badminton (Game)
          Preteens
          Physical education
          Visuomotor coordination
          Shooting (Sports)
      keyword:
        aerobic fitness
        attention
        Cognitive engagement
        physical activity
        physical education
        aerobic fitness
        attention
        Cognitive engagement
        physical activity
        physical education
      ab: The aim of the present study was to test the effect of a biathlon and badminton programme, two activities requiring high cognitive engagement, on attention, executive functions, and visuo-manual coordination of preteens in a school context. We compared these two intervention programmes with a running programme involving aerobic fitness but less cognitive engagement. We hypothesised that badminton and biathlon would improve preteens' attention compared with running. The intervention programmes consisted of ten 90-minute physical education sessions carried out by middle school teachers and were randomly assigned to each class (badminton, N = 60; biathlon, N = 81; running, N = 52). Multivariate analysis revealed no significant effects on overall performance. However, an exploratory analysis accounting for individual differences in each cognitive measure indicated improved performance in divided attention and Stroop tasks for participants in the biathlon and badminton interventions, with the latter influenced by speed performance. Additionally, action video games were found to moderate the relationship between interventions and performance in the visuo-manual coordination task. For the first time, biathlon activity, which combines running and shooting, was tested in a curricular context and suggested potential benefits for attention, executive functions, and visuo-manual coordination. These findings underscore the importance of developing and experimentally validating evidence-based pedagogical content in physical education while fostering collaboration with teachers and education professionals.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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