TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of cognitive functions and intellectual impairment on pacing and performance in sports
AU - Sakalidis, Kandianos Emmanouil
AU - Burns, Jan
AU - Van Biesen, Debbie
AU - Dreegia, Waleed
AU - Hettinga, Florentina Johanna
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - An essential determinant for success in sports is pacing. Cognitive mechanisms like self-regulation and executive functions are strongly related to adequate pacing behaviour, and people with Intellectual Impairment (II) experience shortfalls in those skills. Previous literature in children without II revealed that pacing is at least partly dependent on cognitive development. Research that focuses on pacing abilities of individuals with II strengthens the assumption that intellectual functioning is involved in pacing, as elite athletes with II are not able to maintain a pre-planned submaximal velocity and they regulate their exercise intensity differently compared to athletes without II. This review highlights the role of cognition and adaptive behaviour in pacing and provides insight into the impact of II on pacing behaviour. It is also proposing pacing as a significant component of Paralympics’ evidence-based classification for athletes with II. Finally, we propose future directions for research to uncover the impact of cognitive mechanisms on regulation of exercise intensity.
AB - An essential determinant for success in sports is pacing. Cognitive mechanisms like self-regulation and executive functions are strongly related to adequate pacing behaviour, and people with Intellectual Impairment (II) experience shortfalls in those skills. Previous literature in children without II revealed that pacing is at least partly dependent on cognitive development. Research that focuses on pacing abilities of individuals with II strengthens the assumption that intellectual functioning is involved in pacing, as elite athletes with II are not able to maintain a pre-planned submaximal velocity and they regulate their exercise intensity differently compared to athletes without II. This review highlights the role of cognition and adaptive behaviour in pacing and provides insight into the impact of II on pacing behaviour. It is also proposing pacing as a significant component of Paralympics’ evidence-based classification for athletes with II. Finally, we propose future directions for research to uncover the impact of cognitive mechanisms on regulation of exercise intensity.
KW - Cognition
KW - Intellectual disability
KW - Learning disabilities
KW - Paralympics
KW - Regulation of energy expenditure
KW - Sports performance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097417233&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101840
DO - 10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101840
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85097417233
SN - 1469-0292
VL - 52
JO - Psychology of Sport and Exercise
JF - Psychology of Sport and Exercise
M1 - 101840
ER -