Training in interactive sports: A systematic review of practice and transfer effects of perceptual-cognitive training

Zentgraf K, Heppe H, Fleddermann MT

Abstract

The general purpose of this systematic review was to study the effectiveness of off-court perceptual-cognitive training interventions in nonnovice, interactive sport athletes. We looked at task-specific practice effects and, more importantly, the transfer of effects. Databases used for the literature search were PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. In all, 16studies were found to be eligible for this review. These studies were independently evaluated by four reviewers for methodological quality and their evidence for specific practice effects and transfer effects. The effectiveness was analyzed with respect to the level of transfer, i. e., from training-task-specific effects to near-transfer (e. g., asimilar perceptual task), further-transfer (e. g., asensorimotor sports skill), and far-transfer (e. g., competition performance) intervention effects. Analyses of the 16 included studies suggest that around 60% of the training-specific measures tested after off-court practicing perceptual-cognitive training in sports athletes signal performance enhancement. However, transfer, be it near, further or far, is mostly not studied empirically; if studied, there is currently only limited and weak evidence for intermediate and far transfer. To reason that perceptual-cognitive off-court training interventions are ineffective might be premature at this point of time as methodological quality can still be improved and only avery limited number of studies actually included transfer variables. In those few studies integrating transfer variables, results are mixed and inconsistent. Future work should focus on critical factors to assure transfer of perceptual-cognitive training interventions.