title: Increasing self-directed training in neurorehabilitation patients through competition.
abstract: This proof-of-concept study aimed to test whether competition could be a useful tool to increase intensity and amount of self-directed training in neurorehabilitation. Stroke patients undergoing inpatient neurorehabilitation (n=93) conducted self-directed endurance training on a (wheelchair-compatible) bicycle trainer under three experimental conditions: a "Competition" condition and two noncompetition control conditions (repeated randomized within-subject design). Training performance and perceived exertion were recorded and statistically analyzed. Three motivational effects of competition were found. First, competition led to an increase in self-directed training. Patients exercised significantly more intensively under competition than in the two noncompetition control conditions. Second, (winning a) competition had a positive influence on performance in the subsequent training session. Third, training performance was particularly high during rematch competitions; that is to say, during second encounter competitions against an opponent that the patient had just beaten. No systematic effect of competition upon perceived exertion (controlled for training performance) was found. Together, our results demonstrate that competition is a potent motivational tool to increase self-directed training in neurorehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Mauritius Hospital, Meerbusch, Germany. Electronic address: bettina.studer@stmtk.de.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Studer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Dijk
authors.affiliation: Mauritius Hospital, Meerbusch, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Handermann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Mauritius Hospital, Meerbusch, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knecht
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D000066530:Neurological Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D010807:Physical Endurance; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D020377:Self Efficacy; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Competition; Effort; Enrichment; Motivation; Perceived exertion; Recovery; Stroke; Training