Effects of Rest, Music and Active Video Games on Executive Functions in Female Students

The present study is to evaluate the effects of break activities (resting with eyes open, listening to music, playing active video game) on working memory and selective attention in female college students. The semi-experimental research was conducted with the repeated measures design. 36 female students from the city of Shoush Danial, who participated in classes in 2019–2020, were selected in a convenient and purposive way. Working memory and selective attention were assessed using N-Back2 (N-B2) and Stroop Word-Color Test (SWCT). In addition, Demographic Questionnaire (DQ), Mental Wondering Questionnaire (MWQ), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were used. Data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS software at p≤0.05 level of significance. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the n-back test after break activities. Pairwise comparisons indicated that the n-back task after open-eye break was better than other breaks. In addition, the results showed that there was no significant difference in selective attention. The present results show that different breaks have a different effect only on working memory performance and not on selective attention. Accordingly, breaking with eyes open improves working memory performance.