title: Assessing Cognitive Performance in Badminton Players: A Reproducibility and Validity Study.
abstract: Fast reaction and good inhibitory control are associated with elite sports performance. To evaluate the reproducibility and validity of a newly developed Badminton Reaction Inhibition Test (BRIT), fifteen elite (25 ± 4 years) and nine non-elite (24 ± 4 years) Dutch male badminton players participated in the study. The BRIT measured four components: domain-general reaction time, badminton-specific reaction time, domain-general inhibitory control and badminton-specific inhibitory control. Five participants were retested within three weeks on the badminton-specific components. Reproducibility was acceptable for badminton-specific reaction time (ICC = 0.626, CV = 6%) and for badminton-specific inhibitory control (ICC = 0.317, CV = 13%). Good construct validity was shown for badminton-specific reaction time discriminating between elite and non-elite players (F = 6.650, p < 0.05). Elite players did not outscore non-elite players on domain-general reaction time nor on both components of inhibitory control (p > 0.05). Concurrent validity for domain-general reaction time was good, as it was associated with a national ranking for elite (p = 0.70, p < 0.01) and non-elite (p = 0.70, p < 0.05) players. No relationship was found between the national ranking and badminton-specific reaction time, nor both components of inhibitory control (p > 0.05). In conclusion, reproducibility and validity of inhibitory control assessment was not confirmed, however, the BRIT appears a reproducible and valid measure of reaction time in badminton players. Reaction time measured with the BRIT may provide input for training programs aiming to improve badminton players' performance.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van de Water
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huijgen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Activity and Health, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, The Netherlands; Radboud University Medical Centre, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, IQhealthcare, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Sports Science and Medical Committee, International Table Tennis Federation, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marije
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elferink-Gemser
keywords: elite athletes; inhibitory control; processing speed; racquet sports; reaction time