TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hülsdünker, Thorben
A1  - Friebe, David
A1  - Giesche, Florian
A1  - Vogt, Lutz
A1  - Pfab, Florian
A1  - Haser, Christian
A1  - Banzer, Winfried
T1  - Validity of the SKILLCOURT® technology for agility and cognitive performance assessment in healthy active adults
T2  - Journal of exercise science & fitness
N2  - Background/Objectives: Agility and cognitive abilities are typically assessed separately by different motor and cognitive tests. While many agility tests lack a reactive decision-making component, cognitive assessments are still mainly based on computer-based or paper-pencil tests with low ecological validity. This study is the first to validate the novel SKILLCOURT technology as an integrated assessment tool for agility and cognitive-motor performance.
Methods: Thirty-two healthy adults performed agility (Star Run), reactive agility (Random Star Run) and cognitive-motor (executive function test, 1-back decision making) performance assessments on the SKILLCOURT. Cognitive-motor tests included lower limb responses in a standing position to increase the ecological validity when compared to computer-based tests. Test results were compared to established motor and agility tests (countermovement jump, 10 m linear sprint, T-agility tests) as well as computer-based cognitive assessments (choice-reaction, Go-NoGo, task switching, memory span). Correlation and multiple regression analyses quantified the relation between SKILLCOURT performance and motor and cognitive outcomes.
Results: Star Run and Random Star Run tests were best predicted by linear sprint (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) and T-agility performance (r = 0.77, p < 0.001), respectively. The executive function test performance was well explained by computer-based assessments on choice reaction speed and cognitive flexibility (r = 0.64, p < 0.001). The 1-back test on the SKILLCOURT revealed moderate but significant correlations with the computer-based assessments (r = 0.47, p = 0.007).
Conclusion: The results support the validity of the SKILLCOURT technology for agility and cognitive assessments in more ecologically valid cognitive-motor tasks. This technology provides a promising alternative to existing performance assessment tools.
KW  - Testing
KW  - Training
KW  - Sport
KW  - Motor-cognitive
KW  - Athlete
Y1  - 2023
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/78972
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-789724
SN  - 1728-869X
VL  - 21
IS  - 3
SP  - 260
EP  - 267
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Singapore [u.a.]
ER  -