PeerJ. 2026 Mar 19;14:e20867. doi: 10.7717/peerj.20867. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests a possible relationship between physical activity and cognitive functioning in children. However, the findings remain inconsistent, and few studies have examined this link using standardized instruments in preadolescent populations. This study aimed to determine the association between self-reported physical activity and cognitive performance in 10-11-year-old school children.
METHODS: A total of 423 children (213 girls and 210 boys; 10.66 ± 0.43 years) participated in this study. The level of physical activity was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C), while cognitive performance was measured with the d2-R Test of Attention. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and a multivariate general linear model (GLM).
RESULTS: Statistically significant correlations were found between PAQ-C scores and two d2-R variables, the total number of items processed (PRZ) and concentration performance (VS), whereas the association with percentage of errors (Ch%) was not significant. The multivariate GLM confirmed these patterns: PAQ-C was significantly associated with PRZ (β = 2.596, p = 0.003) and VS (β = 1.973, p = 0.012), but not with Ch% (p = 0.281). Gender was also a significant predictor of PRZ and VS.
CONCLUSION: Self-reported physical activity showed small but statistically significant associations with selected attention outcomes, particularly processing speed and concentration. Given the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report, causal inference is not possible; however, these findings highlight the potential relevance of physical activity for attentional functioning in school settings and underscore the need for longitudinal and intervention-based research.
PMID:41873424 | PMC:PMC13006003 | DOI:10.7717/peerj.20867
