Participation in Cultural Movements Increases Focus and Span of Attention in Male Students: a Case Study

Participação em Movimentos Culturais Aumenta Foco e Span de Atenção em Estudantes do Sexo Masculino: um Estudo de Caso

Elza Helena Gonçalves Rodrigues1, Valéria Ribeiro Ribas2, Severino Marcos de Oliveira Carneiro3, Zildeize de Lima4,  Francisca Maria da  Silva Correia5,  Cristiano do  Nascimento Siqueira6, Roberto Alves Rodrigues7, Hugo André de Lima Martins8, Valdenilson Ribeiro Ribas9*, Raul Manhães de Castro10

ABSTRACT

The attention was evaluated  in 20 male children in the 10-12 age  group at a private school in Jaboatão dos Guararapes-PE.  The  subjects  were divided  in  2  groups:   a)  Children  that  don't  participate   in  cultural movements,  control  group  (CONTROLS, n=10) and  b)  Children  that participate  in  cultural  movements (CPCM,  n=10).  The  evaluations  were  accomplished   by  the  Digit Symbol and  digit  span  forward  and backward  tests.  The data  were  analyzed  by the  t-test with p<0.05. Children  that  participate  in  cultural movements  (CPCM, n=10) presented psychomotor  speed  and/or focused  attention  and  increased  span  of attention (49.5  ± 2.20),  (9.75  ± 0.75),  when compared  to their respective CONTROL group (37 ± 3.71), (7.8  ± 0.49,  p<0.05). Although, the children that participate  in cultural movements  (CPCM, n=10) have presented increased  mental manipulation  capacity (5.25  ± 0.45),  when compared  to the CONTROL group (4.6 ± 0.54,  p=0.386), there was not a significant statistical difference. Children that participate  in cultural movements  present  focus of attention  and  superior  auditory attention compared to the children that  don't participate.