Effect of Sports Based Structured Cognitive Therapy Program on Attention, Memory and Behavior for School Going Children

August 25, 2026 updated by: Riphah International University

Effect of a Sports-Based Structured Cognitive Therapy Program on Attention, Memory, and Behavior in School-Going Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effect of a sports-based structured cognitive therapy program on attention, memory, and behavior in school-going children aged 8-12 years with mild to moderate attention or behavioral difficulties. A total of 52 participants will be randomly allocated to either an experimental group receiving an 8-week sports-based structured cognitive therapy program or a control group receiving conventional physical activity. The intervention will be delivered three times per week. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8 using the Stroop Test, Teacher Report Form (TRF), and Behavior Rating Scale to determine changes in attention, memory, and behavior

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a sports-based structured cognitive therapy program on attention, memory, and behavior in school-going children aged 8-12 years with mild to moderate attention or behavioral difficulties. The primary objective is to determine whether participation in an 8-week sports-based structured cognitive therapy program improves attention, memory, and behavior compared with conventional physical activity. Attention will be assessed using the Stroop Test, behavioral and academic functioning using the Teacher Report Form (TRF), and behavior using the Behavior Rating Scale.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
52

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: noreen khan, Phd
  • Phone Number: 03369687196

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Kpk
      • Chak Six Hundred Twenty-four, Kpk, Pakistan, 25000
        • Recruiting
        • Gghss Sarai Naimat Khan Haripur

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • School-going children aged 8-12 years.
  • Children with mild to moderate attention or behavioral difficulties.
  • Children enrolled in participating primary or secondary schools in Haripur District.
  • Written informed consent obtained from a parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children diagnosed with severe neurological or psychiatric disorders.
  • Children with physical disabilities that prevent participation in sports-based activities.
  • Children currently participating in another structured cognitive or physical intervention program.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Sports-Based Structured Cognitive Therapy
Participants assigned to the experimental group will receive an 8-week Sports-Based Structured Cognitive Therapy Program delivered three sessions per week, with each session lasting 45-60 minutes. The intervention integrates structured physical activities with cognitive tasks targeting attention, memory, executive function, and behavioral regulation. Activities include aerobic exercises, attention drills, memory exercises, and behavior-regulation games delivered at moderate to vigorous intensity.
Behavioral: Sports-Based Structured Cognitive Therapy Program
Participants will receive an 8-week Sports-Based Structured Cognitive Therapy Program delivered three times per week. The program combines structured physical activities with cognitive tasks designed to improve attention, memory, executive function, and behavioral regulation through attention drills, memory exercises, and behavior-regulation games.
Active Comparator: Conventional Physical Activity
Participants assigned to the control group will receive conventional physical activity consisting of routine exercise-based activities supervised by a licensed physical therapist. Sessions will be conducted three times per week for 45-60 minutes over 8 weeks and will include warm-up exercises, stretching, balance activities, classroom games, and cool-down exercises without structured cognitive-sports integration.
Behavioral: Conventional Physical Activity
Participants will receive conventional physical activity consisting of routine exercise-based activities including warm-up exercises, stretching, balance activities, classroom games, and cool-down exercises for 45-60 minutes per session, three sessions per week for 8 weeks, without structured cognitive training.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stroop Interference Score
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
The Stroop Test will be used to assess selective attention and inhibitory control. The outcome will be measured using the Stroop Interference Score. Lower interference scores indicate better inhibitory control and attention.
Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Teacher Report Form (TRF) T-score
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
The Teacher Report Form (TRF) will be used to assess behavioral, emotional, and academic functioning in the school environment. The outcome will be summarized using the standardized TRF T-score according to the scoring procedures of the instrument.
Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Behavior Rating Scale Total Score
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
The Behavior Rating Scale will be used to assess behavioral functioning in children. The outcome will be summarized using the total score obtained according to the scoring procedures of the scale.
Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Movement-Sequence Recall Score
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Memory performance will be assessed using a movement-sequence recall task. The outcome will be summarized as the number of movement sequences correctly recalled.
Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Number Recall Score
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Memory performance will be assessed using a number-recall task. The outcome will be summarized as the number of numerical sequences correctly recalled.
Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Word Recall Score
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8
Memory performance will be assessed using a word-recall task. The outcome will be summarized as the number of words correctly recalled.
Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Riphah International University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Zobia Naseem, MS, Riphah International University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 16, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 5, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 25, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 25, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Aqsa Imtiaz

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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