Differences in reaction time and agility of 11-14-year-old schoolboys

Abstract

Many studies investigating reaction abilities and agility performance were documented. Only a few of them have been dealt with children without sports participation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate reaction time (simple and choice) and agility time (reaction plus movement time) in 11 to 14 years old schoolboys. These boys were divided into 4 age groups with a one-year difference and performed reaction time tests and agility test. The results showed significant differences in simple reaction time between the age groups 11 and 13 years old (p = 0.038; d = 0.9), 12 and 14 years old (p = 0.008; d = 10.96) and 11 and 14 years old schoolboys (p < 0.001; d = 1.37). Significant differences in choice reaction time were observed between the same groups as in simple reaction time. More specifically, between groups with two-year difference (11 and 13 years: p = 0.019; d = 1.02; 12 and 14 years: p = 0.027; d = 0.82) and three-year difference (11 and 14 years: p < 0.001; d = 1.51). In agility test, significant differences were found between the age groups 11 and 13 years old (p < 0.001; d = 1.61), 12 and 14 years old (p = 0.026; d = 0.95), 11 and 14 years old (p < 0.001; d = 2.15) and also between groups 11 and 12 years old schoolboys (p = 0.003; d = 1.01). These findings indicate that it is desirable to merge age groups with one-year difference in diagnostics of reaction abilities. However, the differences between groups are more distinct in agility test including also a motor component. It seems that the age between 11 and 12 years is an important period in the development of movement speed or also decisionmaking in more difficult tasks.