Effect of attentional instruction on dual task training

Abstract

[Purpose] We evaluated the effects of attentional instruction on dual-task training for motor and cognitive tasks. [Subjects] Sixty healthy adults were enrolled in this study. [Method] We investigated each task's performance before and after the dual-task training performed with the following instructions: attentional focus on motor task, attentional focus on cognitive task, no attentional instruction, and no training. [Result] Motor task performance and difficult motor task performance improved under the no attentional focus instruction. [Conclusion] The results indicate that for healthy adults, the no attentional focus instruction plays a potentially more effective role in improving motor task performance. © 2013 by the Society of Physical Therapy Science.