Extracurricular multilateral training incorporating cognitive-motor activities and its effects on motor proficiency, cognitive ability, and problematic internet use in adolescents.

BACKGROUND

After-school physical activity programs may enhance adolescents' motor and cognitive development, but evidence regarding their effects on problematic internet use (PIU) remains limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the effects of a 12 week extracurricular multilateral training (EMT) program incorporating cognitive-motor activities on motor proficiency (MP), cognitive ability (CA), and problematic internet use (PIU) among Indonesian adolescents, while accounting for baseline outcomes, daily physical activity, gender, and parental education.

METHODS

This parallel-group randomized controlled trial included Indonesian junior high school students participating in a 12-week EMT program delivered twice weekly. MP, CA, and PIU were prespecified as the three primary outcomes and were assessed pre- and post-intervention. ANCOVA compared post-intervention outcomes between the EMT and control groups, adjusting for the corresponding baseline score, daily physical activity, gender, and parental education. Pearson correlations examined associations among baseline outcomes.

RESULTS

The EMT group demonstrated significantly higher post-intervention MP and CA scores and a significantly lower PIU score than the control group after adjustment for the corresponding baseline outcome, daily physical activity duration, gender, and parental education (all p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.163-0.422). At baseline, CA was positively associated with MP and negatively associated with PIU in both groups, while MP was negatively associated with PIU only in the EMT group (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A 12 week extracurricular multilateral training program incorporating cognitive-motor activities improved motor proficiency and cognitive ability and reduced problematic internet use among Indonesian adolescents. These findings support the inclusion of structured, cognitively engaging multilateral training in school-based after-school physical activity programs to promote adolescents' physical, cognitive, and behavioral health.