Acute Effects of Active Breaks and Physically Active Learning in University Students (PAL UNI)
8 september 2026 uppdaterad av: Carlos Martín Martínez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Acute Effects of Active Breaks and Physically Active Learning on Executive Functions, Interest-Enjoyment, and Academic Performance in University Students
This multicenter randomized crossover study will examine the acute effects of four classroom break conditions on executive functions, immediate academic performance, perceived exertion, and interest-enjoyment in university students.
Each participant will complete four experimental sessions in which a different 15-minute condition will be implemented: a sedentary free break, a sedentary academic review break, an active break without academic content, and physically active learning combining movement with academic review.
Cognitive performance will be assessed before and after each session using Stroop and N-Back tasks.
Academic performance, perceived exertion, and interest-enjoyment will be assessed after each experimental session.
Studieöversikt
Status
Har inte rekryterat ännu
Betingelser
Intervention / Behandling
Detaljerad beskrivning
This is a multicenter, randomized, counterbalanced crossover study conducted in university students from eight Spanish universities.
Participants will first complete a familiarization session in which study procedures, cognitive assessments, and the participant identification system will be explained and practiced.
Each participant will subsequently complete four experimental sessions, separated by at least one week whenever feasible. Each experimental session will include:
- A 10-minute PRE assessment including Stroop and N-Back tests.
- Approximately 45 minutes of regular academic instruction.
- A 15-minute experimental classroom break.
- Up to 10 additional minutes of regular instruction.
- An immediate POST assessment including Stroop, N-Back, a 10-item academic performance test, perceived exertion, and interest-enjoyment.
The four experimental conditions will be:
A. Sedentary free break without academic content. B. Sedentary academic review using true/false questions. C. Active break without academic content. D. Physically active learning combining the same physical activities used in Condition C with academic true/false questions.
The order of the four conditions will be randomized and counterbalanced across participating groups. Participants will therefore act as their own controls.
A subsample of participants may wear accelerometers to objectively characterize physical activity and sedentary behavior during the experimental sessions.
Studietyp
Interventionell
Inskrivning (Beräknad)
700
Fas
- Inte tillämpbar
Kontakter och platser
Det här avsnittet innehåller kontaktuppgifter för dem som genomför studien och information om var denna studie genomförs.
Studiekontakt
- Namn: Carlos Martín-Martínez, PhD
- Telefonnummer: +34914884880
- E-post: carlos.martinm@urjc.es
Studieorter
-
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Navarre
-
Pamplona, Navarre, Spanien
- Universidad Pública de Navarra
-
Kontakt:
- Óscar Martínez de Quel Pérez, PhD
- Telefonnummer: +34948169479
- E-post: oscar.martinezdequel@unavarra.es
-
-
Deltagandekriterier
Forskare letar efter personer som passar en viss beskrivning, så kallade behörighetskriterier. Några exempel på dessa kriterier är en persons allmänna hälsotillstånd eller tidigare behandlingar.
Urvalskriterier
Åldrar som är berättigade till studier
- Vuxen
- Äldre vuxen
Tar emot friska volontärer
Ja
Beskrivning
Inclusion Criteria:
- University students aged 18 years or older.
- Currently enrolled in one of the participating university courses/classes.
- Provision of informed consent.
- Ability to participate safely in light-to-moderate classroom physical activity.
- Ability to complete computerized cognitive assessments.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Injury, illness, or medical condition contraindicating participation in physical activity.
- Acute illness or other condition on the day of testing likely to substantially affect attention or cognitive performance.
- Inability to complete the required computerized cognitive assessments.
Studieplan
Det här avsnittet ger detaljer om studieplanen, inklusive hur studien är utformad och vad studien mäter.
Hur är studien utformad?
Designdetaljer
- Primärt syfte: Grundläggande vetenskap
- Tilldelning: Randomiserad
- Interventionsmodell: Crossover tilldelning
- Maskning: Ingen (Open Label)
Vapen och interventioner
Deltagargrupp / Arm |
Intervention / Behandling |
|---|---|
|
Inget ingripande: Sedentary Free Break
Participants complete a 15-minute sedentary break without structured physical activity or academic review.
|
|
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Experimentell: Sedentary Academic Review
Participants remain sedentary during a 15-minute academic review activity based on true/false questions related to content presented during the preceding 45 minutes of class.
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A 15-minute sedentary academic review activity using 10 true/false questions based on academic content presented during the first 45 minutes of the session.
|
|
Experimentell: Active Break Without Academic Content
Participants complete a standardized 15-minute active break involving moderate physical activities without academic content.
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A standardized 15-minute classroom physical activity break without academic content.
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Experimentell: Physically Active Learning
Participants complete a standardized 15-minute physically active learning session combining physical movements with true/false questions related to academic content presented during the preceding 45 minutes.
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A standardized 15-minute intervention combining physical activity with academic true/false questions.
Participants respond to academic questions through predefined physical movements.
|
Vad mäter studien?
Primära resultatmått
Resultatmått |
Åtgärdsbeskrivning |
Tidsram |
|---|---|---|
|
Change in Inhibitory Control Assessed by the Stroop Test
Tidsram: Immediately before and approximately 10 minutes after the 15-minute experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Inhibitory control will be assessed using the Stroop task.
Outcomes will include response accuracy and reaction time.
Acute change will be calculated by comparing PRE and POST performance within each experimental session.
|
Immediately before and approximately 10 minutes after the 15-minute experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
|
|
Change in Working Memory Assessed by the N-Back Test
Tidsram: Immediately before and approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
|
Working memory will be assessed using the N-Back task.
Outcomes will include accuracy, omissions/errors, and reaction time.
Acute change will be calculated from PRE to POST within each experimental session.
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Immediately before and approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Immediate Academic Performance
Tidsram: Approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Academic performance will be assessed using a 10-item multiple-choice test developed specifically for the academic content taught during each experimental session.
Each question will have three response options and one correct answer.
The outcome will be the number of correct responses, ranging from 0 to 10.
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Approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Sekundära resultatmått
Resultatmått |
Åtgärdsbeskrivning |
Tidsram |
|---|---|---|
|
Interest-Enjoyment
Tidsram: Approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Interest and enjoyment will be assessed using three items from the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory.
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Approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Rating of Perceived Exertion
Tidsram: Approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Perceived exertion during the 15-minute experimental condition will be assessed using a 0-10 Rating of Perceived Exertion scale, where higher scores indicate greater perceived exertion.
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Approximately 10 minutes after the experimental condition, during each of the four experimental sessions.
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Andra resultatmått
Resultatmått |
Åtgärdsbeskrivning |
Tidsram |
|---|---|---|
|
Physical Activity During Experimental Sessions
Tidsram: Throughout each experimental classroom session, approximately 2 hours.
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In a subsample of participants, triaxial accelerometers will objectively assess sedentary time, light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and mean activity intensity during the experimental sessions.
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Throughout each experimental classroom session, approximately 2 hours.
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Samarbetspartners och utredare
Det är här du hittar personer och organisationer som är involverade i denna studie.
Samarbetspartners
Utredare
- Huvudutredare: Carlos Martín-Martínez, PhD, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
- Studierektor: Óscar Martínez de Quel Pérez, PhD, Universidad Pública de Navarra
Studieavstämningsdatum
Dessa datum spårar framstegen för inlämningar av studieposter och sammanfattande resultat till ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter och rapporterade resultat granskas av National Library of Medicine (NLM) för att säkerställa att de uppfyller specifika kvalitetskontrollstandarder innan de publiceras på den offentliga webbplatsen.
Studera stora datum
Studiestart (Beräknad)
15 september 2026
Primärt slutförande (Beräknad)
30 juni 2027
Avslutad studie (Beräknad)
31 juli 2027
Studieregistreringsdatum
Först inskickad
3 september 2026
Först inskickad som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna
3 september 2026
Första postat (Faktisk)
9 september 2026
Uppdateringar av studier
Senaste uppdatering publicerad (Faktisk)
10 september 2026
Senaste inskickade uppdateringen som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna
8 september 2026
Senast verifierad
1 september 2026
Mer information
Termer relaterade till denna studie
Nyckelord
Ytterligare relevanta MeSH-villkor
Andra studie-ID-nummer
- PAL-UNI-2026
Plan för individuella deltagardata (IPD)
Planerar du att dela individuella deltagardata (IPD)?
NEJ
IPD-planbeskrivning
Individual participant data will not be publicly shared due to data protection and confidentiality considerations.
Aggregated and anonymized study results may be made available upon reasonable request, subject to institutional and ethical approval.
Läkemedels- och apparatinformation, studiedokument
Studerar en amerikansk FDA-reglerad läkemedelsprodukt
Nej
Studerar en amerikansk FDA-reglerad produktprodukt
Nej
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