Self-Controlled Demonstration Improves Basketball Free Throw Learning, Independent of Motor Imagery Ability in Children

This study examined the effects of self-controlled versus instructor-controlled demonstration on learning basketball free throws in children with different motor imagery abilities. Forty boys aged 9–12 were randomly assigned to four groups based on imagery ability (high/low) and demonstration type (self/instructor-controlled). In self-controlled conditions, participants could choose when to receive the skill demonstration from the instructor. Performance was evaluated using the basketball free throw test, and motor imagery ability was measured using the Motor Imagery Questionnaire for Children (MIQ-C). Following a pretest, participants trained for ten sessions every other day, with each session consisting of twenty throwing trials. Assessments included a post-test (after the last session) and retention and transfer tests (one week later). The results indicated that self-controlled groups performed better than instructor-controlled groups across all phases (p = .001). Additionally, skill learning was not significantly impacted by motor imagery ability (p > .05). These findings suggest that regardless of children’s motor imagery skills, the self-controlled demonstration method enhances basketball free throw learning. The superiority of the self-controlled condition, regardless of imagery ability, emphasizes how crucial it is to give learners control over their training when it comes to learning basketball skills.