Competitive versus cooperative exergame play for African American adolescents' executive function skills: short-term effects in a long-term training intervention

Dev Psychol. 2012 Mar;48(2):337-42. doi: 10.1037/a0026938.

Abstract

Exergames are videogames that require gross motor activity, thereby combining gaming with physical activity. This study examined the role of competitive versus cooperative exergame play on short-term changes in executive function skills, following a 10-week exergame training intervention. Fifty-four low-income overweight and obese African American adolescents were randomly assigned to a competitive exergame condition, a cooperative exergame condition, or a no-play control group. Youths in the competitive exergame condition improved in executive function skills more than did those in the cooperative exergame condition and the no-play control group. Weight loss during the intervention was also significantly positively correlated with improved executive function skills. The findings link competitive exergame play to beneficial cognitive outcomes for at-risk ethnic minority adolescents.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Black or African American / psychology*
  • Body Mass Index
  • Competitive Behavior*
  • Cooperative Behavior*
  • Executive Function*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motor Activity*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Obesity / ethnology
  • Overweight / ethnology*
  • Time Factors
  • Video Games / psychology*
  • Young Adult