نشریه رشد و یادگیری حرکتی - ورزشی
پیاپی 52 (تابستان 1402)

Recently, the matter of the influence of mental skills on sports skills performance has become very important. The current research aimed to evaluate and compare the mental preparation of the male fencers of the Iranian national team and the elite male fencers of the world.

The current research method was experimental. The statistical population of this research included the fencers of the national teams of Iran, Hungary, America, Russia, France, and Ukraine. The research samples were 58 fencers from selected countries. To measure the mental skills of fencers, the original version of the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3) questionnaire was used. To compare the mental skills of athletes from different countries, the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and Bonferroni's post hoc test were used.

The results showed that all elite male fencers achieved the highest scores in foundation mental skills including self-confidence, goal setting, and commitment, and the lowest scores were related to refocusing, focusing, and stress control skills. Also, the highest and the lowest scores of mental skills in this research were related to self-confidence and refocusing skills, respectively. Russian fencers scored the highest in all mental skills and Iranian fencers scored the lowest in the stress control skill.

Based on the results of the research, fencers have less proficiency in two sub-skills of cognitive psychological and psychosomatic skills compared with the foundation mental skills. The fencers had lower strength in terms of the mental skill of focusing, refocusing, and stress control. Iranian and non-Iranian fencers were weaker in mental skills of stress control and refocusing.

Research evidence indicates that the environment is an important factor in improving children's development. However, little research has been done in the rural children population regarding the effect of motor affordances on cognitive abilities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the developmental environment affordances of rural children and their executive functions enhancement.

The present research was an ex-post facto correlational study, which was conducted as field research with applied research purposes. The statistical population of this study was 8 to 10-year-old primary school children (Mean age = 9.10) of East Azerbaijan province from which 93 children were selected through random cluster sampling method as the study samples to participate in the study. To measure the motor development affordances in the home environment, the AGMDQ-1, and to measure the executive functions,  BRIEF test were used.

Based on the results of the multiple linear regression test, a positive significant relationship was observed between motor affordances and inhibition (P=0.042) and between motor affordances and initiation (P=0.008) in 8 to 10-year-old children. Also based on the results, no significant relationship was observed between motor development affordances including stimulants, home environment and active toys, and other components of executive functions (P>0.05).

Based on the results of the present research, children's living environment is an important factor in predicting the components of their executive functions. Accordingly, it is suggested that to improve executive functions during childhood, children should be in richer environments (in terms of the presence of affordances such as active toys).

Achieving a high level of motor learning requires finding an optimal combination of variables and methods. This research aimed to investigate the interactive effect of the focus of attention (internal and external) and learning approach (explicit and implicit) on the retention and transfer of basketball free throw skills.

Forty-eight volunteer male students were randomly assigned to four Explicit Learning - Internal Attention, Explicit Learning - External Attention, Implicit Learning - Internal Attention, and Implicit Learning - External Attention groups. In the acquisition phase, the groups practiced basketball free throws in 6 blocks of 10 trials. 24 hours after the end of the acquisition phase, a retention test and two transfer tests were performed in a block of 10 trials for each test. The first transfer test was performed 10 minutes after the retention test under pressure conditions, and the second transfer test was performed ten minutes after the first transfer test from a 4-meter distance and a 45-degree angle.

The results showed that in explicit learning conditions, the external focus of attention and in implicit learning conditions, the internal focus of attention led to better learning in basketball free throw.

According to the findings of the present study, the cognitive overload of the explicit learning approach was moderated by providing the external focus of attention instructions. However, in the implicit learning approach, due to the use of analogy learning, little cognitive load is exerted on the learners’ working memory and it is possible to direct their attention to the skill itself or parts of the body that are involved in the execution of skill to achieve the benefits of the internal focus of attention.

Hearing impairment is a type of children's sensory disorder that cause problems in the daily life of children and parents. This research aimed to determine the effect of sensory-motor training on fine motor skills and the psychological well-being of children with hearing impairment.

This applied research was a quasi-experimental type with a pre-test and post-test design. The statistical population included children with a hearing impairment from the elementary exceptional student education center in Ardabil City. To participate in this research, the hearing threshold of each student was measured using an audiometer. By using the convenience sampling method, 20 samples were selected and assigned to two control (N=10) and experimental (N=10) groups. The measurement tools included Peabody Developmental Motor Scale (PDMS) for fine motor skills and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for psychological well-being assessment. No training was given to the groups before the intervention. The experimental group performed 45-minute sessions of sensory-motor integration training for eight weeks and six days a week, by imitating the coach's movements and trying to coordinate with the group at the same time. The control group participated in daily activities. The analysis of the covariance (ANCOVA) test was used for statistical analysis.

sensory-motor integration training had a significant effect on improving children's fine motor skills and well-being and cause improvement in the levels of both factors.

Participating in sensory-motor training can be of great help in reducing motor and psychological problems of children with hearing impairment.

Individuals with Down syndrome often exhibit low levels of physical activity and physical fitness, as well as a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a sports rehabilitation program based on the systems review of the body function and structure of individuals with Down syndrome.

Articles were searched with an emphasis on "systems review" as a basis and with an overview of "effects" that affect physical activities for people with Down syndrome. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases with a combination of keywords related to Down syndrome, body function and structure, the prevalence of disorders, and physical fitness factors. Studies were selected using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. After reviewing and studying the articles, recommendations for the content and presentation of an exercise program were extracted based on the literature review.

Based on the results and reviews, the rehabilitation exercise program was developed for these people. The sports rehabilitation program requires minimal equipment and can be implemented independently. It also effectively leads to the improvement of gait patterns, strength, stability, balance, coordination, endurance, and participation in purposeful activities with increased independence. This exercise program can be performed three times a week for about an hour per session.

According to the content analysis of the unique body function and structure of physiological, neuromuscular, and learning styles of individuals with Down syndrome, the presented comprehensive sports rehabilitation program can improve movement disorders, functional activities, and participation.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system that affects the motor and sensory systems to control balance while standing and walking. This study aimed to investigate the effect of eight weeks of proprioceptive training on balance, fatigue, and quality of life of women with MS.

The statistical population of this research included 20- to 50-year-old women with MS and a total score of 1 to 4 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) that are members of the Isfahan MS Association. From this population, 30 volunteers were selected conveniently and assigned to experimental and control groups. Participants of both groups completed the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) tests before starting the training program. The experimental group performed 60-minute proprioceptive training for eight weeks and three sessions a week, and the control group performed their daily activities during this period. After 8 weeks of training, both experimental and control groups repeated the previous tests. The data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests at the significant level of 0.05.

The results showed that there was a significant difference in balance, fatigue, and quality of life of the experimental group in the post-test compared with the pre-test (P<0.05). Also, the comparison of the post-test results of the two experimental and control groups showed a significant difference in the balance and quality of life of MS patients (P<0.05).

Overall, eight weeks of proprioceptive training improved the balance and quality of life of MS patients, but it was not effective in reducing their fatigue. Therefore, the use of proprioceptive training is recommended for the well-being of MS patients.