Table_1_An assist for cognitive diagnostics in soccer (Part II): Development and validation of a task to measure working memory in a soccer-specific setting.docx

Cognitive diagnostics is of increasing interest to researchers and practitioners in the context of talent identification and performance enhancement in professional soccer. Research addressing the relevance of cognitive skills for sports performance has been based on the cognitive component approach (i.e., general cognitive processes) and the expert performance approach (i.e., sport-specific cognitive processes). Following the aim to combine the strengths of both approaches, we have previously developed and validated tasks to measure inhibition and cognitive flexibility in a soccer-specific setting, including a soccer-specific motor response. In line with the broad consistency on three core executive functions, this further development of diagnosing executive functions is to be completed with a task for the assessment of working memory. For this purpose, 60 amateur players with a soccer experience of at least one competitive season (Mage = 25.95, SDage = 4.59) first conducted a computer-based version of the n-back (3-back) task followed by a 3-back task that required a soccer-specific motor response (i.e., pass) performed in a soccer-specific setting (i.e., SoccerBot100). Results show good reliability for both tasks. With regard to convergent validity, significant correlations between the computerized and soccer-specific task could be determined in target trials for response time (r = 0.446) and accuracy (r = 0.401). Thus, the soccer-specific n-back task can be considered a potentially valid instrument for assessing working memory and potentially allows soccer clubs to diagnose the three core executive functions in a consistent soccer-specific setting.

认知诊断在职业足球人才识别与竞技表现提升的背景下，正日益受到研究者与从业者的关注。过往围绕认知技能与运动表现相关性的研究，主要基于认知成分理论（即一般认知过程）与专家表现理论（即运动专项认知过程）。为整合两种研究路径的优势，我们此前已开发并验证了可在足球专项场景下测量抑制控制与认知灵活性的任务，其中包含足球专项运动反应。结合学界对三大核心执行功能（executive functions）的广泛共识，这套执行功能诊断工具的进一步完善，需补充用于评估工作记忆（working memory）的任务。为此，本研究招募了60名至少拥有1个赛季正式比赛经验的业余足球运动员（平均年龄Mage=25.95，年龄标准差SDage=4.59），所有受试者首先完成计算机版n-back（3-back）任务，随后完成一项需在足球专项场景（即SoccerBot100）中做出足球专项运动反应（即传球）的3-back任务。结果显示，两项任务均具备良好的信度。在聚合效度方面，计算机版与足球专项版任务在目标试次中的反应时（r=0.446）与正确率（r=0.401）均存在显著相关。综上，足球专项版n-back任务可被视为评估工作记忆的有效工具，且有望帮助足球俱乐部在统一的足球专项场景下完成三大核心执行功能的诊断。