Actividad física, competencias motoras básicas, atención y control de impulsividad en escolares de educación primaria

Introduction: Motor learning requires cognitive processes such as attention, which is crucial for optimizing the acquisition of motor skills and promoting healthy, high-quality physical activity. Objective: The objective was to investigate the relationship between physical activity, basic motor skills, attention, and impulse control index. Methodology: A descriptive correlational design was used with a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 470 sixth-grade students (169 = 36,0 % boys and 301 = 64,0 % girls) from the Ayacucho region of Peru. Three instruments were administered: the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ-C), the MOBAK 5-6 Battery, and the CARAS-R Test. Results: Inferential analyses showed that there is no significant relationship between the variables Physical Activity and Basic Mo-tor Skills (,626 > ,05); Basic Motor Skills and Attention (,215 > ,05); Basic Motor Skills and Impulsivity Control Index (,689 > ,05); Physical Activity and Attention (,508 > ,05); Physical Activity and the Impulsivity Control Index (,118 > ,05); however, there is a significant relationship (,025 < ,05) between Attention and the Impulsivity Control Index with a “low positive correlation” (Rho = ,104). Discussion: Previous studies have shown that planned and systematic physical activity promotes attention, while unstructured practices do not guarantee progressive motor develop-ment in schoolchildren. Conclusions: The practice and learning of motor skills, without the support of structured pedagogical approaches that integrate cognitive and socio-emotional strategies aimed at understanding the action, do not in themselves ensure a direct impact on learning.