Efeitos do foco de atenção no desempenho de sprint de corrida de 25 metros em crianças

Abstract

Introduction: Attentional focus refers to the direction of attention during the execution of a motor task and can be classified as internal focus (attention directed to the performer’s own body movements) or external focus (attention directed to the effects of movement on the environment). Studies have shown that an external focus may enhance motor performance and learning in adults. However, in pediatric populations, especially during puberty, the effects of attentional focus remain inconsistent in the literature. Objective: To investigate the effects of different attentional focus conditions (internal, external, and neutral) on 25-meter sprint performance and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in children. Methods: The sample consisted of 18 children (11 girls and 7 boys), aged between 11 and 13 years, recruited from a public school in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Participants performed six 25-meter sprints in a single day, with two trials under each experimental condition (internal, external, and neutral). Sprint time was measured using a photocell timing system (Multisprint), recording accumulated and split times throughout the distance. After each trial, participants reported where they focused their attention during the sprint and rated their perceived exertion using the Borg scale adapted from 1 to 10. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA, adopting a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The analysis of accumulated time revealed a significant effect of attentional focus (F = 37.10; p < 0.001), indicating better performance in the neutral condition compared with the internal and external conditions. Similar results were observed for split times, with significantly lower values in the neutral condition. Regarding perceived exertion, a significant effect was also observed (p = 0.037), with lower RPE values reported in the neutral condition compared with the internal focus condition. Conclusion: The findings indicate that, in children aged 11 to 13 years, the absence of specific attentional focus instructions may favor sprint performance and reduce perceived exertion. These results suggest that explicit attentional focus instructions may not be necessary during the execution of this motor task in this age group, highlighting the importance of considering developmental characteristics in sports training and physical education contexts.