Characteristics of Children with an Undesirable Motor Competence Development During the Transition from Early to Middle Childhood: Results of a 2-Year Longitudinal Study

OBJECTIVE

Motor competence development from early to middle childhood is accompanied by great variance. This course can be influenced by many factors in the ecosystem. The objective of this study was to examine which individual characteristics are associated with an undesirable motor competence development during the transition from early to middle childhood.

METHODS

A longitudinal study was conducted between February 2020 and May 2022. Actual and perceived motor competence and the potential determinants physical activity enjoyment, weight status, and organized sports participation of children (49% boys) aged 4-6 years old at T0 (N = 721) were measured at two points in time, separated by a two-year interval. Associations between potential determinants and AMC, including interactions with time, were analyzed using linear mixed-effect regression models with continuous motor quotient scores as outcome variables.

RESULTS

Overweight, obesity, and lack of organized sports participation were associated with lower motor quotient scores over time. Multivariate analyses showed that associations of weight status (overweight and obesity) and sports participation with motor quotient scores remained significant after adjustment for variations in perceived motor competence and physical activity enjoyment.

CONCLUSIONS

Excessive body weight and lack of sports participation from early childhood are associated with an increased risk of an undesirable motor competence development over time.

The effect of a home-based, gamified stability skills intervention on 4-5-year-old children's physical and cognitive outcomes: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Stability skills (e.g., static/dynamic balance) are a precursor for other movement skill development (e.g., jumping, catching). However, young children consistently demonstrate low stability and movement skill ability. There is therefore a need to develop effective strategies to improve stability skills in early childhood.

AIM

To pilot the effect of a home-based gamified stability skills intervention on 4-5-year-old children's physical skills, self-perceptions and cognitions.

METHODS

One-hundred-and-eleven 4-5-year-old children participated from three schools. Two schools were allocated into the intervention group (n = 66 children, 33 boys) and one to the control group (n = 45 children, 25 boys). Stability, fundamental movement skills, perceived motor competence, and cognition were assessed at baseline and at post-intervention. The intervention group was given a booklet detailing the 12-week gamified stability skill intervention. The control group participated in their usual weekly activities.

RESULTS

A series of ANCOVAs controlling for baseline values demonstrated significantly higher stability skills (F(1,93) = 24.79, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.212), fundamental movement skills (F(1,94) = 15.5, p = < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.139), perceived motor competence (F(1,96) = 5.48, p = 0.021, partial η2 = 0.054) and cognition (F(1,96) = 15.5, p = < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.139) at post-test for the intervention versus control groups.

DISCUSSION

This study demonstrates that a home-based, gamified, stability skills intervention enhances stability skills, fundamental movement skills, perceived motor competence and cognition in children aged 4-5-years old.

Psychometric properties of the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire for Norwegian adolescents

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ) for Norwegian adolescents. To this end, a sample of 349 Norwegian-speaking adolescents (13-16 years old) were recruited and completed the AMCQ. Initial results showed that confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) did not indicate statistical support for previous statistical models reported in the literature. Further analysis indicated factorial validity for a novel three-factor model identified through exploratory factor analysis, encompassing measures of fine motor skill (α = 0.65), gross motor skill (α = 0.74), and activities of daily living (ADL; α = 0.79) with acceptable internal consistency coefficients. Subsequent analysis indicated indices of measurement invariance in the study sample, as males rated their competence higher compared to females in 19 of the 27 items, and better model fit was obtained for the female adolescents. Strong invariance was tenable, and no factor mean differences were found across older and younger adolescents or across BMI scores. Overall results thus suggested that the AMCQ has acceptable psychometric properties and can be confidently used in further work with perceived motor competence in Norwegian 13-16 years-old adolescents.

Motor competence, physical activity, and perceived motor competence: A relational systems approach

Being and perceiving oneself as proficient in motor skills seems essential for an active lifestyle; conversely, being active and perceiving oneself as proficient may be associated with greater motor competence. By expanding the causal path view about the relationship between active and healthy developmental system elements, this study tested the mediation hypothesis of perceived motor competence in the relationship between motor competence and physical activity - in both ways - and moderation by developmental phase and sex. This cross-sectional study sampled healthy schoolchildren (n = 379; 8.2 ± 1.7 years; 54.9% boys). Physical activity (questionnaire), motor competence (tests included locomotor and object control skills) and perception of motor competence (a pictorial scale) were assessed. Maximum likelihood structural equation models with fit statistics confirmed the mediation in both ways. Unexpectedly, the relationship between motor competence and physical activity was inverse. Sex was a moderating variable (boys). In a systemic relational paradigm of human development, perceived motor competence, motor competence, and physical activity interact in an active and healthy behavioural system, but the complexities of understanding how these elements relate to one another across childhood point to the need for future longitudinal studies.

Pictorial Scale of Physical Self-Concept for Brazilian Children: Validity and Reliability

This study aimed to translate the Pictorial Scale of Physical Self-Concept for Brazilian Children (PSPPS-BR) into the Brazilian-Portuguese language, conduct a transcultural adaptation of it, and investigate its validity. Method: The authors adopted the reverse translation procedures to obtain the PSPPS-BR’s Brazilian-Portuguese version. Three motor behavior experts assessed the scale items’ clarity and pertinence. Ten professionals participated in the face validity study. Children (N = 300; 150 girls and 150 boys; 8–10 years old; Mage = 9.0, SD = 0.81) were randomly selected from six schools in Brazil and assessed using the PSPPS-BR, the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence, and the Self-Perception Profile for Children. The children (N = 100) were reassessed for test–retest reliability. Results: High clarity and pertinence agreement among experts (content validity coefficient from 98.4% to 100%; Gwet’s agreement coefficient from .85 to 1.00, p < .001) and among professionals (content validity coefficient clarity: 83–100%, relevance: 90–100%) were obtained. The confirmatory factorial analysis showed adequate model fits (root mean square error of approximation = .067; comparative fit index = .968; Tukey–Lewis index = .949). Polychoric correlations showed an adequate internal consistency for total scale (α = .78) and items (alpha from .73 to .78). The intraclass coefficient correlation shown strong test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient > .95). Conclusion: The PSPPS-BR showed adequate validity and reliability for Brazilian children.

Conceptualising and testing the relationship between actual and perceived motor performance: A cross-cultural comparison in children from Australia and Germany

Previous studies investigating the relationship between motor skill, physical activity and fitness in children have not thoroughly considered the role of self-perception. Therefore, the study aim was to test a theoretical framework, which considered both actual and perceived motor skill as well as actual and perceived fitness. Potential moderating effects of sex and country were considered. Data on motor skill, fitness, as well as self-perception of motor skill and fitness were collected from 145 Australian children and 214 German children (age range 7 to 10 years). For actual motor skill and fitness, mean differences for sex, age and country were found. For perceived motor performance (perceived motor skill and perceived fitness) no mean differences were found for age. Path analyses were performed. The final model showed significant relations between actual performance (object control skill, fitness) and perceived performance (object control skill, fitness). All model paths had low to moderate regression weights with the lowest relationship reported between actual and perceived fitness. Sex and country showed no effects. This integrated approach has led to a better understanding of the relationship between children's perceived and objective performance, and cultural differences within them.

Protocol for a two-cohort randomized cluster clinical trial of a motor skills intervention: The Promoting Activity and Trajectories of Health (PATH) Study

INTRODUCTION

Data supports that motor skills are an underlying mechanism that influence physical activity along with perceived motor and physical competence, but the relationship between motor skills and physical activity during the early years is unclear. The goal of this study, Promoting Activity and Trajectories of Health (PATH) for Children, is to examine and compare the immediate (pre-test to post-test) and sustained (3-year follow-up) effect of an intervention on motor performance, physical activity and perceived physical competence to a control condition (ie, standard practice) in preschool-age children.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The PATH study is a two-cohort, randomised cluster clinical trial. 300 children between the ages of >3.5 to 5 years of age will be randomised to the motor skill intervention (n=153) or control (n=147) condition. Each assessment involves a measure of motor skill performance; product and process, seven consecutive days of physical activity monitoring and perceived physical competence. These measures will be assessed before and after the intervention (pre-test to post-test) and then each academic year across 3 years, grades kindergarten, first grade and second grade (3-year follow-up). To assess the clustered longitudinal effect of the intervention on outcome measures, random-effects models (eg, mixed model regression, growth curve modelling and structural equation modelling) will be used. The PATH study addresses gaps in paediatric exercise science research. Findings hold the potential to help shape public health and educational policies and interventions that support healthy development and active living during the early years.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval for this study was obtained through the Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board, University of Michigan (HUM00133319). The PATH study is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Findings will be disseminated via print, online media, dissemination events and practitioner and/or research journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NHLBI ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier, NCT03189862. Registered 17 August 2017, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03189862.