Role of focus of attention in learning a fundamental movement skill in preschool children with differing perceived motor competence: A pilot study

This study examined whether preschoolers' (N = 32, 19 boys and 13 girls, aged 5-6 years, aged M = 5.3, SD = 0.49 years) perceived motor competence (PMC) moderates the effects of focus of attention (internal vs. external) on throwing performance. We evaluated both movement outcome and movement form, and used throwing distance as an alternative movement outcome to the accuracy outcome measures often used in previous studies. Movement outcome (throwing distance) was measured using the standard measuring tape, and movement form (throwing score) was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3). The latest version of the Pictorial Scale for Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC aligned with the TGMD-3) was used to assess the participants' PMC. 32 children were assigned to high/low-PMC groups receiving internal or external focus instructions, followed by acquisition (30 trials), retention, and transfer tests (10 trials each). Results revealed (1) for children with high PMC, neither their movement outcome nor movement form benefited from any attentional focus; (2) for children with low PMC, their movement form achieved better learning under the guidance of internal focus, while movement outcome were not affected by attentional focus. This indicates that matching appropriate attentional focus instructions for children with low PMC is beneficial to their motor learning. Future research should further explore differences in children with different PMC and the mechanisms linking them to attentional focus.