Evaluating executive functions in primary school children in Alicante using body percussion

Abstract

The current pilot study aims primarily to discover if the executive functions of students in their fourth year of primary school can be improved using psychomotor stimulation through the practice of body percussion using the BAPNE® Method. We have carried out a quantitative study over the course of 34 weeks with an experimental group and a control group. The study was based on a research protocol with a total of n=70 subjects, divided between an experimental group and a control group in an area of the Valencian Community (Spain) with above average socioeconomic characteristics and average educational outcomes. Analysis of the results from the post-test of the experimental group shows that there has been a notable improvement in cognitive skills involving attention, as well as working memory. The evaluation tool used to measure attention levels and working memory was the ENFEN test. The methodology used was experimental in its design and used a collection of pre- and post-test sample measurements, before and after the method was implemented. Subsequently, statistical analysis was carried out. This was factorial in design and considered the measurements taken before and after.