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Attentional Focus and Feedback Timing in Children's Tennis Skill Learning
Sponsor: Guangzhou University
Summary
This study evaluated how different attentional focus instructions and feedback timing affect tennis motor skill learning in children aged 9 to 12 years. The study used a school-clustered 4 × 2 factorial quasi-experimental design involving four primary schools in Shenzhen, China. Each participating school implemented one of four attentional focus conditions: distal external focus, proximal external focus, internal focus, or neutral instruction. Within each school, eligible children were assigned to either immediate feedback or delayed summary feedback, resulting in eight experimental conditions. All participants completed the same standardized tennis training program for 12 weeks, with three 90-minute training sessions per week. The study assessed children's performance in four tennis skills: forehand, backhand, volley, and serve. Skill-performance attainment and technique evaluation were assessed before and after the intervention. Retention and transfer of the learned skills were additionally assessed two weeks after completion of the intervention. The study was designed to determine whether attentional focus, feedback timing, or the interaction between these two factors influences children's acquisition, retention, and transfer of tennis motor skills.
Official title: Effects of Attentional Focus and Feedback Timing on Children's Tennis Motor Skill Learning
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
9 Years - 12 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
160
Start Date
2024-09-01
Completion Date
2025-01-10
Last Updated
2026-09-16
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Distal External Attentional Focus
During the standardized 12-week tennis training program, participants were instructed to direct their attention toward distal external effects of the movement, including the target location and flight trajectory of the ball. The attentional-focus instructions were incorporated into forehand, backhand, volley, and serve practice. Training was conducted three times per week, with each session lasting approximately 90 minutes.
Proximal External Attentional Focus
During the standardized 12-week tennis training program, participants were instructed to direct their attention toward proximal external effects of the movement, particularly the point and moment of contact between the racket and the ball. The attentional-focus instructions were incorporated into forehand, backhand, volley, and serve practice. Training was conducted three times per week, with each session lasting approximately 90 minutes.
Internal Attentional Focus
During the standardized 12-week tennis training program, participants were instructed to direct their attention toward their own body movements, technical movement patterns, and force-production sequence during tennis skill performance. These instructions were incorporated into forehand, backhand, volley, and serve practice. Training was conducted three times per week, with each session lasting approximately 90 minutes.
Neutral Instruction
Participants received conventional tennis instructional cues during the standardized 12-week training program without specific external or internal attentional-focus instructions. Training content, progression, frequency, and duration were the same as in the other attentional-focus conditions. Training was conducted three times per week, with each session lasting approximately 90 minutes.
Immediate Feedback
Participants received instructional and technical feedback immediately after each tennis skill performance. The feedback was consistent with the attentional-focus condition assigned to the participant and was intended to provide prompt information for adjustment of subsequent performance.
Delayed Summary Feedback
Participants received instructional and technical feedback after completion of each practice set rather than immediately after each individual performance. Each practice set typically consisted of 10 to 15 balls. The feedback was consistent with the assigned attentional-focus condition and allowed participants time for self-perception, error recognition, and movement adjustment before receiving external feedback.
Locations (4)
Longhua Experimental Primary School
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Longhua Foreign Language School
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Minle Primary School
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Tiandong Primary School
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China