The development and assessment of a movement-based coaching program on executive function skills: an exploratory quality improvement study.

INTRODUCTION

Executive function (EF) skills are integral cognitive processes with strong links to self-regulation and academic success. The post-COVID-19 period has seen an increase in self-reported and diagnosed EF deficits (EFDs). This quality improvement study evaluated the Untapped Learning (UL) program, a personalized, movement and mentorship-based EF program for students aged 11-24, who predominantly have self-reported EFDs.

METHODS

Students were paired with trained coaches and participated in weekly one-on-one sessions for the duration of one school semester. Sessions included movement and targeted EF skills training. Students completed pre-post surveys assessing five EF skills (organization, planning, communication, task completion, and mentality) across three school semesters in total.

RESULTS

Students enrolled in the program showed significant overall improvements across two out of three semesters in a younger population (11-18 years old, n = 222) (p < 0.02 Spring and Fall 2023) and in all semesters in a post-secondary (PS) age population (18-24 years old, n = 90) (p < 0.02 for all semesters). When stratified by sex, males demonstrated greater overall reported improvements than females in both cohorts. Females showed a consistent increase in planning skills in the post-secondary cohorts, indicating potential sex-specific response patterns or survey sensitivity issues.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that movement-based EF coaching programs are associated with self-reported EF skill increases and highlight the need for greater sex-specificity in designing personalized mentorship programs.