Impactos da fadiga mental induzida pelo uso prolongado de smartphones no desempenho de tarefas motoras em adolescentes de 12 a 14 anos

Abstract

It has been shown that excessive smartphone use can cause mental fatigue, affecting cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and decision-making. However, there are few studies in the literature that investigate the effects of this fatigue on motor performance. This gap highlights the importance of research with adolescents. The present study aimed to analyze the effects of mental fatigue, induced by prolonged smartphone use, on the performance and learning of motor tasks in adolescents aged 12 to 14 years. A total of 108 adolescents of both genders, aged between 12 and 14 years, duly enrolled and attending Elementary School II, which includes grades 6 to 9, participated in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: Control Group (CG) and Fatigue Group (GF). Both performed a dart throwing task, the objective of which was to assess motor performance through throwing accuracy. Before practice, all participants received standardized verbal instructions on how to perform the task, followed by a brief demonstration. After the familiarization period, the experimental protocol began according to the assigned group. The results indicated that, although cell phone use generated a greater perception of mental fatigue in the experimental group, there was no statistically significant difference in motor performance or learning between the groups. It was concluded that, under the specific conditions of the study, mental fatigue induced by cell phone use did not compromise motor performance.