The Effect of Attentional Focus of Supra-Postural Task on Performance and Learning of Postural Control in Girls Aged between 9 and 12

Postural control is one of the important abilities in daily life and sport activities of human beings and the importance of focus of attention is always discussed in this issue. In this regard, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the instructions of focus of attention of supra-postural task on performance and learning of postural control in girls aged between 9 and 12. 45 female students in an elementary school in Malayer city participated in this study and were randomly divided into 3 groups: external attention, internal attention and control by drawing of lots. The participants were asked to maintain their postural control by instructions on supra-postural task. Instructions included focus of attention on the bar they held horizontally (external focus), on their hands (internal focus) and no instructions (control). The results of analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that learning process in external focus group was significant compared with the internal focus (P=0.049) and control (P=0.005) groups. However, no significant differences were found in learning between internal focus and control groups (P=0.345). It can be concluded that external attention instruction on supra-postural task led to better postural control than internal attention instruction.