Moniralsadat Arvin; Zohreh Meshkati; Rokhsareh Badami
Abstract
Introduction: Executive functions are a vital indicator of athletic success, and one of the interventions that can influence them is Quadrato motor meditation. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of these trainings at the behavioral level on the executive function of semi-skilled athletesMethods: ...
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Introduction: Executive functions are a vital indicator of athletic success, and one of the interventions that can influence them is Quadrato motor meditation. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of these trainings at the behavioral level on the executive function of semi-skilled athletesMethods: One hundred semi-skilled female athletes aged 15 to 18 years were selected via convenience sampling from shooters in Yazd province and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Each component of executive function was assessed in separate sessions. The Quadrato motor meditation intervention was performed for 28 days, six minutes per day. The post-test was then administered following the same protocol as the pre-test. Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software, with a significance level set at p<0.05.Results: The findings showed that Quadrato motor trainings were effective in increasing scores in interference and asymmetries of response from the response inhibition dimension, the two subcategories, and persistence from the cognitive flexibility dimension, and also in improving performance in the working memory dimension during the post-test phase. These improvements amounted to 12.6% in response inhibition, 21.6% in working memory, and 18% in cognitive flexibility.Conclusion: The results of this study are consistent with structural and functional brain research. Quadrato motor meditation training had a positive effect on the three core components of executive function at the behavioral level and could serve as an appropriate intervention to enhance executive functioning in athletes.
