The purpose of this study was 1) to develop a cognitive aptitude test for group subjects (CATG), 2) to examine the relationship between CATG and the motor skill test of basketball, and 3) to investigate the effects of cognitive skill training with feedback videos on basketball skills, thus exploring the applicability of the Self-Modeling Theory to motor skill development in a physical education setting. In September 2007, 148 university students (male=83, female=65, mean age=19.93, SD=1.16) were asked to take CATG for item-total correlation analyses. Group 1, 43 of the subjects (male=18, female=25, mean age=19.72, SD=1.32), besides CATG, took the experimental cognitive tests (spatial cognitive test, short-term memory test, and route conjecture test) that was based on Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III). Group 2 of 78 (male=38, female=40, mean age=19.96, SD=1.21) participated in basketball classes for one semester (15 lessons), of which CATG was included in the first lesson. The subjects of the two groups above were not mutually exclusive. Those in Group 2 practiced basic basketball skills in class with occasional feedbacks (the video-taped recordings of their performance), and took the basic basketball skill test (free slow, lay-up shot right side & left side, dribble run) on the second lesson (Pre test) and the last lesson (Post test). The results of item-total correlation analyses showed that each subscale of CATG was significantly correlated with the total score of CATG, confirming the reliabilities of CATG. The validity analyses revealed that the scores of CATG were significantly correlated with the score of WAIS-R and WISC-III, confirming the criterion-related validities of CATG. The results of multiple regression analyses showed that the scores of route conjecture test was positively associated with the skills of lay-up shot from right side and negatively associated with the time of dribble run, indicating high cognitive skills contribute to high performance when cognitive feedbacks were provided. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed that, between the pre-test and the post-test, the top 25% group of CATG significantly more advanced in their free throw skill than the bottom 25% while the both groups demonstrated significant progress in their lay-up shot from left side. Thus, CATG that was developed for this study were confirmed as an efficient tool to assess the cognitive aptitude of group of students. Also the results above imply that the feedback video intervention based on the Self-Modeling Theory can be useful in helping university students to advance their basic motor skills required for basketball.
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