Evaluation of the effectiveness of different motor programmes based on contextual interference in primary school children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of different intervention programmes, applied in physical education classes and based on contextual interference (CI), in children in their 3rd year of primary education (9-10 years). Seventy children (35 boys and 35 girls) from a state school, who were in their third year of primary education, took part in the study. The school children were divided into four groups depending on the type of CI programme they were going to carry out. Their capacity to change direction (Modified Agility Test MAT) and acceleration capacity (time for a 5m and 15m sprint) were tested before and after the 5 week intervention. Significant differences were found in capacity to change direction capacity between the pre-test and post-test in the low CI group, the moderate CI group and the variable CI group, but not in the high CI group. Only the low CI group showed significant differences between the pre test and post-test in the 5m sprint and none of the programmes were effective on acceleration capacity in the 15m sprint. The features or characteristics of the intervention programmes based on the level of contextual interference conditioned the effects produced on acceleration and capacity to change direction.