Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
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Daily Overview |
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WR1_1_4: Pitch oral & Children and Adolescents Working Group Meeting Location: White room 1 Session Chair: Javier Brazo-Sayavera | |
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4:43pm - 4:46pm
Mapping physical activity intervention pathways for early childhood executive function: A scoping review 1: Durham University, United Kingdom; 2: Western University; 3: University of Stirling Purpose: To map the design, delivery, and implementation/equity reporting of physical activity (PA) interventions aimed at improving executive function of 2–7–year–old children. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR. Records were screened, and data charted at study and intervention-arm level. Findings were synthesised descriptively using visual mapping. Protocol registered on OSF. Results: A total of 24,908 records were identified, of which 63 studies were included (149 total arms; 93 PA specific). Studies were globally spread (China 20/63), with over half of studies reporting predominantly low-to-middle socioeconomic status samples (17/32, 53% of those reporting). PA interventions were most commonly play-based (n=34, 37%) and motor skill training (n=30, 32%). Intervention delivery formats often used structured protocols and multi-phase programmes (n=49, 53%). Inhibitory control and working memory were most frequently assessed executive functions (n=70, 47%). However, statistically significant improvements were observed in only 65/306 EF-related outcome entries (21%). Outcomes were specific to intervention type: play-based interventions more often showed benefits across multiple executive function outcomes, whereas motor skill training mainly improved global executive function/attention, and dance/rhythmic movement mainly improved inhibitory control/working memory. In most instances, key intervention details were under–reported: MVPA status (73/93, 79%), difficulty-design (71/93, 76%), and SES (31/63, 49%). Conclusions: Play-based interventions appeared to demonstrate the broadest potential benefit across executive function outcomes, but the overall evidence base remains mixed. These findings provide limited guidance for adaptation in resource-limited contexts, because key information on intervention intensity, difficulty-design, socioeconomic context, and equity-related analyses was often insufficiently reported. Support/Funding Source: None | |
