An internal focus of attention benefits motor function in children with Sydenham chorea syndrome: A case study

Zamani, Mohammad and Abedanzadeh, Rasool and Hashemi, Ayoub and Owen, Robin and Gottwald, Victoria (2025) An internal focus of attention benefits motor function in children with Sydenham chorea syndrome: A case study. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics. ISSN 0194-2638 (Accepted for Publication)

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Abstract

Whilst traditionally motor learning literature cautions against a self-focus during movement execution, there is an argument for the benefits of a somaesthetic awareness when utilised appropriately. Evidence suggests that paying attention to the body (i.e. an internal focus of attention) can be advantageous for afferent proprioceptive processing during motor skills wherein this information is relevant for successful task execution. It stands to reason that this approach may also hold true for individuals with movement disorders, such as Sydenham chorea syndrome: a rare neurological condition that results in rapid, involuntary, and uncoordinated movements. The present study provides a case study of two children (age 10 and 11 years), unable to walk independently due to low postural stability from Sydenham chorea syndrome. Both children completed ‘10-Meter Walk’ and ‘Timed Up and Go’ tests as a baseline, before undergoing three sessions per week of an intervention, for three months. Both children practiced walking and dynamic balance, with one child instructed to focus on their feet (i.e., an internal focus) and the other on signs installed along the path of movement (i.e., an external focus). A post-test experimental phase was then conducted to measure learning. Results revealed superior within-session learning and retention when adopting an internal focus of attention. When movement disorders create ambiguity in motor efference, an internal focus on task-relevant proprioceptive information may facilitate more appropriate movement organisation. This supports a recent body of literature, which argues that an internal focus of attention has task-dependent advantages.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Human and Digital Sciences > School of Health and Sport Sciences
Depositing User:	Robin Owen
Date Deposited:	24 Oct 2025 11:10
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2025 11:10
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/4779

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