Effects of Weekly Basketball Training Distribution on Executive Function in Adolescents

NCT07749144 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: BBT-EF-001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

his study examined whether different ways of distributing the same weekly amount of basketball training affect executive function in adolescents. A total of 120 adolescents were randomly assigned to one of three groups: weekday-distributed basketball training, weekend-concentrated basketball training, or a control group that continued its usual activities. Participants in both basketball training groups completed 180 minutes of training per week for 8 weeks. The weekday-distributed group trained for 36 minutes per session, five days per week, whereas the weekend-concentrated group trained for 90 minutes per session, two days per week. Executive function was assessed before and after the intervention. The study aimed to determine whether basketball training improves executive function compared with usual activities and whether distributing the same weekly training volume across weekdays produces different effects from concentrating the training on weekends.

Conditions

Executive Function in Healthy Adolescents; Physical Fitness; Adolescent Development

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change From Baseline in Flanker Reaction-Time Interference Effect

  Inhibitory control was assessed using a computerized Flanker task at baseline and immediately after the intervention. The reaction-time interference effect was calculated as the mean reaction time for incongruent trials minus the mean reaction time for congruent trials and was expressed in milliseconds. Change from baseline was calculated as the post-intervention value minus the baseline value. Lower interference scores indicate better inhibitory control, and a negative change indicates improvement.

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Change From Baseline in 1-Back Task Accuracy

  Working memory was assessed using a computerized 1-back task at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Performance was measured as the percentage of correct responses, ranging from 0% to 100%. Change from baseline was calculated as the post-intervention accuracy minus the baseline accuracy. Higher accuracy scores indicate better working memory performance, and a positive change indicates improvement.

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Change From Baseline in More-Odd Shifting Task Switching Cost

  Cognitive flexibility was assessed using a computerized More-Odd Shifting task at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Switching cost was calculated as the mean reaction time for switch trials minus the mean reaction time for repeat trials and was expressed in milliseconds. Change from baseline was calculated as the post-intervention value minus the baseline value. Lower switching-cost values indicate better cognitive flexibility, and a negative change indicates improvement.

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Study Arms (3)

Weekday-Distributed Basketball Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed 180 minutes of basketball training per week for 8 weeks. The training was distributed across five weekday sessions, with each session lasting 36 minutes.

Behavioral: Weekday-Distributed Basketball Training

Weekend-Concentrated Basketball Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed 180 minutes of basketball training per week for 8 weeks. The training was concentrated into two weekend sessions, with each session lasting 90 minutes.

Radiation: Weekend-Concentrated Basketball Training

Usual Activity Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants maintained their usual daily activities and received no additional structured basketball training during the 8-week study period.

Interventions

Weekday-Distributed Basketball Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants completed basketball training five days per week for 8 weeks. Each session lasted 36 minutes, resulting in a total weekly training volume of 180 minutes.

Weekday-Distributed Basketball Training

Weekend-Concentrated Basketball Training RADIATION

Participants completed basketball training two days per week for 8 weeks. Each session lasted 90 minutes, resulting in a total weekly training volume of 180 minutes.

Weekend-Concentrated Basketball Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 13 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Aged 13 to 16 years at enrollment.
• Enrolled in the participating local middle school.
• Medically eligible to participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise.
• No systematic basketball or other sport-specific training during the 3 months before enrollment.
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and able to complete the computerized cognitive tasks.
• Available to participate in the 8-week intervention and complete all scheduled assessments.
• Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian and assent provided by the participant.

You may not qualify if:

• Any illness or musculoskeletal injury that could prevent safe participation in basketball training.
• Current participation in another structured exercise, sport-specific training, or cognitive-training program.
• Any visual, neurological, or other condition that could interfere with completion of the computerized cognitive tasks.
• Medical advice or contraindications against participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Xi'an Medical University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Xi'an Medical University

Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 31, 2026
• First Posted: August 6, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2026
• Study Completion: June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: August 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)