Attentional processes of high-skilled soccer players with congenital hemiparesis: differences related to the side of the hemispheric lesion.
We investigated attentional processes that support the performance of high-skilled soccer players with hemiparetic cerebral palsy. Participants (N = 10) dribbled a slalom course as quickly and accurately as possible under two attentional-focus manipulation conditions. In the task-relevant focus condition, they attended to the foot that was in contact with the ball, whereas in the task-irrelevant focus condition, they monitored a series of words played on a tape. The time taken to complete the slalom course was registered. Performances of individuals with left and right hemiparesis were compared to explore differential effects of hemispheric lesion. The high-skilled players with congenital hemiparesis showed similar attentional-focus effects as those previously reported in the literature for high-skilled players without neurological disorders (Beilock et al., 2002; Ford et al., 2005). Task-relevant focus increased dribbling time, whereas a task-irrelevant focus did not result in a significant change in dribbling time. These findings generalized to each of the five participants with left hemiparesis (i.e., damage to the right hemisphere). By contrast, the effects of a task-relevant focus were less consistent for participants with right hemiparesis (i.e., left-hemisphere damage). This corroborates suggestions that the reinvestment of procedural knowledge is a left-lateralized function. The implications for the training of individuals with congenital brain damage are discussed.
Steenbergen
Bert
B
NICI, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van der Kamp
John
J
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000151:congenital / Q000503:physiopathology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010291:Paresis / Q000151:congenital* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011361:Professional Competence; D012916:Soccer