Authors
Mohd Tanveer Khan, School of Physical Education, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Kanwaldeep Singh, School of Physical Education, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Soraisham Sunilkumar Singh, School of Physical Education, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Nathanael Adu, Physical Mampong Technical College of Education, Ghana, West Africa
International Journal of Exercise Science 19(5): 5012, 2026.
DOI: 10.70252/IJES2026512
Abstract
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a six-week structured perceptual-cognitive training programme on decision-making performance in male competitive Kabaddi players. Seventy-two male university- level Kabaddi players (aged 18–25 years) from Punjab, India, were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an experimental group (n = 36) or a control group (n = 36). Because the sample was restricted to men, findings are specific to male athletes and should not be assumed to generalize to female Kabaddi players. The experimental group completed cognitive training (5 sessions/week, 30–40 min/session) in addition to regular practice; the control group followed routine training only, with no additional attention-matched activity of equivalent contact time. Decision-making performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using a researcher-developed sport-specific field protocol. Decision-making scores departed significantly from a normal distribution in all four pre/post × group cells (Shapiro–Wilk, all p < .05), so baseline group comparability was assessed with both an independent- samples t-test (t(70) = 1.85, p = .069) and a Mann-Whitney U test (U = 472.0, p = .048) on pre-test scores; the experimental group also had significantly greater competitive Kabaddi experience than the control group (4.06 ± 1.19 vs. 3.47 ± 1.11 years, p = .035). A 2 (Group: control, experimental) × 2 (Time: pre, post) mixed-design repeated- measures ANOVA was used to evaluate decision-making performance. Scores improved significantly from pre- to post-test across the full sample (control: 55.67 ± 8.76 to 75.25 ± 9.63; experimental: 51.69 ± 9.46 to 75.78 ± 10.24; main effect of Time, F(1,70) = 192.86, p < .001, ηp² = 0.734). However, neither the main effect of Group, F(1,70) = 1.15, p = .288, ηp² = 0.016, nor the Group × Time interaction, F(1,70) = 2.05, p = .157, ηp² = 0.028, reached statistical significance, indicating that the magnitude of improvement did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups. These findings indicate that decision-making performance improved substantially over the six-week period regardless of group assignment but do not provide statistical evidence that structured cognitive training conferred an additional benefit beyond routine Kabaddi training in this sample. Adequately powered trials with an active control condition are needed to determine whether structured cognitive training produces effects beyond those of standard practice.
Recommended Citation
Khan, Mohd Tanveer; Singh, Kanwaldeep; Singh, Soraisham Sunilkumar; Adu, Nathanael (2026) “Effects of Structured Perceptual-Cognitive Training on Decision-Making Performance in Male Competitive Kabaddi Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” International Journal of Exercise Science, 19(5):5012.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70252/IJES2026512