Dataset for Meta-analysis: Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning of Children: Does Physical Activity Improve the Working Memory of Children?

Existing literature suggests that physical activity positively influences children's cognitive abilities, particularly working memory. This meta-analysis replicates the findings of Vasilopoulos et al. (2023) on the effects of physical activity, with a focus on working memory, incorporating eleven studies: nine from the original analysis and two additional studies (Zhang et al., 2022; Dring et al., 2022) identified through a targeted search. The additional studies were included based on criteria that they were published within the last ten years and examined the relationship between physical activity and working memory in children. Due to variations in working memory measures across the studies, a standardized mean difference was applied, and effect sizes were calculated using Hedges' <i>g</i> to address small sample bias. The results provide significant evidence that physical activity has a positive impact on children's working memory. However, notable heterogeneity was observed, underscoring the need for future research to standardize measurement tools for both physical activity and working memory to enhance the reliability of findings.<br><br><br>