Exploring the relationship between sport and cognitive development: The effects of archery training on attention performance in middle school students with attention deficitsEksik

This study investigated the effects of an eight-week archery training program on attention performance in middle school students with attention deficits. A pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design with a control group was employed. The study sample comprised 26 students (experimental: n = 13; control: n = 13) who met the inclusion criteria following d2 Attention Test screening conducted in four middle schools in Gümüşhane, Türkiye. The experimental group participated in a structured archery training program for eight weeks, whereas the control group continued their regular educational activities. Attention performance was assessed using the d2 Attention Test, including Total Number of Items Processed (TN), Total Performance Score (TN-E), Concentration Performance (CP), error scores, and Fluctuation Rate (FR). Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests, paired-samples t-tests, and mixed-design analysis of variance (Group × Time ANOVA). Following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in TN, TN-E, and CP (p<0,001), accompanied by significant reductions in error scores and FR (p<0,05). Although limited improvements were observed in several variables within the control group, the magnitude of change was consistently greater in the experimental group. Mixed ANOVA revealed significant Group × Time interactions for TN (ηp²=0,445, p<0.001), TN-E (ηp²=0,449, p<0,001), and CP (ηp²=0,276, p=0,006), indicating that the observed improvements were attributable to the archery intervention rather than to the passage of time alone. These findings suggest that structured archery training is an effective sport-based intervention for enhancing attention performance, concentration, and performance stability in middle school students with attention deficits.