Reconceptualizing and Operationalizing Seefeldt's Proficiency Barrier: Applications and Future Directions

Validity and reliability of Meu Educativo®: A new tool to assess fundamental movement skills in school-aged children

OBJECTIVES

There is evidence showing that children's proficiency in fundamental movement skills (FMS) is positively related to weight status, physical activity, fitness levels, cognitive development, as well as academic performance. Yet, the feasibility of FMS assessment is challenging, especially with relatively large samples of children. This article presents a new tool named Meu Educativo® to assess children's FMS levels, including its validity and reliability.

METHODS

We relied on the validity evidence approach based on test content to develop the FMS assessment checklist and the rating system with a team of experts. In this article, we used five FMS (stationary dribbling, kick, overhand throw, catch the ball, and underhand roll). Further, we conducted a series of reliability studies and used percent agreement and Cohen's kappa (κ) as statistics.

RESULTS

Experts agreed highly on the checklist's components in the five FMS. Inter-rater reliability ranged from 0.63 for stationary dribbling to 0.93 for overhand throw, and the intra-rater reliability ranged from 0.46 to 0.94.

CONCLUSION

Based on the first results, Meu Educativo® was not only easy to use, but was also a reliable tool for FMS assessments. Notwithstanding the need for future studies, Meu Educativo® is a new tool that can be used by teachers, coaches, and motor development specialists dealing with school-aged children and researchers working with large samples.

Mastering movement: A Cross-sectional investigation of motor competence in children and adolescents engaged in sports

INTRODUCTION

Motor Competence (MC) is related to the development of healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents, and many studies have compared it with different variables, including sports participation. This investigation aimed to characterize the components and total scores of MC regarding different physical activity practices, such as physical education (PE) classes, futsal, volleyball, and ballet, and to compare MC regarding sports, sex, and age-groups.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional study, 398 Portuguese children and adolescents (398 participants: 200 boys and 198 girls; 12.649±3.46 years) were conveniently chosen between 2022 and 2023. Four groups of different sports were created: PE classes (n = 187), futsal (n = 80), volleyball (n = 101) and ballet (n = 30), and four different age groups: 7 to 9 years old (n = 117); 10 to 12 years old (n = 65), 13 to 15 years old (n = 96) and, 16 to 19 years old (n = 120). All participants reported to participate in at least two training sessions per week (1 hour each) for at least two years. MC was assessed with Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) comprising three components with six tests (two tests for each component). Participants' total MC was calculated as the average of the three components of the MCA. Data were analyzed by applying ANOVA one-way with LSD post-hoc.

RESULTS

Differences were found in MC among groups, where futsal participants showed better scores in general. Sex comparison showed that boys have a higher MC when practicing futsal, especially compared to volleyball players. Age-group analysis showed that younger participants had better MC levels compared to older ones.

CONCLUSION

The whole group showed the 50th percentile of MC, but volleyball adolescents showed results below this reference. MC is intrinsically linked to an individual's motor experiences and motivations rather than depending directly on the specific practice of the sport.

Impact and Implementation of an Early Years Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention for Children 4-5 Years

Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the cornerstone of a child's motor development, but concerns remain on the current level of FMS competencies, and intervention is required. This evaluation investigated if a targeted Early Years FMS intervention, delivered by a specialist physical education (PE) provider, improved the FMS of 4-5-year-old children across multiple sites.

METHODS

The Early Years FMS intervention ran for 18 weeks, 1 h/week, using a standardised programme of activities to develop FMS competencies across 219 children from 15 schools in the Midlands, UK. An adapted assessment was employed as a measure of FMS, assessing locomotor, object control, and stability skills at weeks 1, 9, and 18. The FMS were each rated as green = competent, amber = working towards, or red = not meeting the standards of the skill. A description of key programme implementation characteristics was described.

FINDINGS

Statistically significant increases in FMS competencies were achieved for 80% of participants at 18 weeks. Key implementation characteristics for the intervention included consistent staffing, a standardised programme, and a variety of pedagogical approaches delivered by specialist PE staff.

CONCLUSION

This evaluation provided important insights into the effectiveness and implementation of the Early Years FMS intervention to improve FMS competencies in children aged 4-5 years.

Normative values of motor performance and their relationship with BMI status in Hong Kong preschoolers

This study aimed to establish sex- and age-specific reference values for motor performance (MP) in Hong Kong preschoolers aged 3-5 years old and examine the relationship between MP and BMI status. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5579 preschoolers in Hong Kong. Three MP tests were administered, and height and weight information were collected. GAMLSS was used to compute the normative values of the motor tests. Boys outperformed girls in activities requiring muscle strength and power, while girls outperformed boys in activities requiring balance and coordination. The MP scores increased with age for both overarm beanbag throw and standing long jump for both sexes, while the one-leg balance scores showed larger differences between P50 and P95 in older preschoolers. Children with excessive weight performed worse in standing long jump and one-leg balance compared to their healthy weight peers. This study provides valuable information on the MP of preschoolers in Hong Kong, including sex- and age-specific reference values and the association between BMI status and MP scores. These findings can serve as a reference for future studies and clinical practice and highlight the importance of promoting motor skill development in preschoolers, particularly those who are overweight or obese.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of physical activity interventions to increase elementary children's motor competence: a comprehensive school physical activity program perspective

BACKGROUND

Regular participation in physical activity (PA) benefits children's health and well-being and protects against the development of unhealthy body weight. A key factor in children's PA participation is their motor competence (MC). The comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) framework offers a way to classify existing PA interventions that have included children's MC development and understand the potential avenues for supporting children's MC. However, there have been no systematic reviews or meta-analyses of PA interventions and their effects on the MC of elementary school children (aged 5-12 years) from a CSPAP perspective.

METHODS

This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. We searched seven electronic databases (PubMed/Medline, Embase, ERIC, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) for articles on 29 November 2021. The CSPAP framework was used to categorize the different intervention approaches. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020179866).

RESULTS

Twenty-seven studies were included in the review, and twenty-six studies were included in the meta-analysis. A wide range of PA intervention approaches (e.g., single component or multicomponent) within the context of the CSPAP framework appear to be promising pathways in enhancing children's MC. The results of the aggregate meta-analysis presented that effect sizes for the development of MC from pre-and post- intervention ranged from moderate to large (Hedges' g = 0.41-0.79). The analysis revealed that the predicted moderators, including study length, delivery agent, and study design, did not result in statistically significant moderate variations in MC outcomes. There was, however, considerable heterogeneity in study design, instruments, and study context, and studies were implemented in over 11 countries across diverse settings.

CONCLUSIONS

This study uniquely contributes to the literature through its primary focus on the effectiveness of PA interventions on elementary children's MC. This review emphasizes the importance of customizing CSPAP to fit the specific characteristics of each school setting, including its environmental, demographic, and resource attributes. The effectiveness of CSPAP, particularly its physical education (PE) component, is significantly enhanced when these programs are adapted to address the unique needs of each school. This adaptation can be effectively achieved through targeted professional teacher training, ensuring that PE programs are not only contextually relevant but also optimized for maximum impact in diverse educational environments. Researchers and practitioners should pursue how to effectively translate the evidence into practice to better conceptualize CSPAPs designed for children's MC development.

Effect of Motor Competence and Health-Related Fitness in the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors

Purpose: In the last decades we have seen an increase in sedentary behaviors and a decrease in physical activity in children when compared to past generations. This lifestyle is commonly associated with the development of clustering risk factors that define metabolic syndrome (MetS). Knowing that motor competence (MC) development can influence lifelong physical activity habits, it is reasonable to assume that children's MC will directly link to clustered cardiometabolic health outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of MC in MetS risk factors. Methods: Seventy children with a mean age of 7.49 (SD = 1.28) years were evaluated on motor competence (MCA-Motor Competence Assessment instrument), cardiovascular fitness (PACER test), upper body strength (UBS; handgrip), and the components of MetS, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, abdominal obesity, low concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high fasting blood glucose. The composite value of MetS was calculated according to Burns et al. (2017). Multiple standard regressions were performed to explore the effect of different variables on MetS. Motor competence and health-related fitness (cardiovascular fitness and relative upper body strength) were used as independent variables (predictors) and MetS as dependent variable. Results: Overall, the results showed that motor competence (β = -.072; p < .05) is a significant predictor and this model explained 7,1% of the variance in MetS. Conclusion: Although more studies are needed, our results indicate that MC seems to have a positive role in children's health markers.

Changes in Motor Competence of 4-8-Year-Old Children: A Longitudinal Study

OBJECTIVES

The development of children's motor competence (MC) from early to middle childhood can follow different courses. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to describe and quantify the prevalence of patterns of MC development from early to middle childhood and to identify undesirable patterns.

DESIGN

The study used a longitudinal design. Data were collected in three consecutive years, between February 2020 (T0) and May 2022 (T2).

METHODS

A total of 1128 typically developing Dutch children (50.2% male) between 4 and 6 years old at baseline (M = 5.35 ± 0.69 years) participated in this study. MC was measured with the Athletic Skills Track and converted into Motor Quotient (MQ) scores. To convert all individual MQ scores into meaningful patterns of MC development, changes in MQ categories were analyzed between the different timepoints.

RESULTS

A total of 11 different developmental patterns were found. When grouping the different patterns, five undesirable patterns were found with 18.2% of the children, showing an undesirable pattern of MC development between T0 and T2. The patterns of motor development of the other children showed a normal or fluctuating course.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a lot of variation in MC in early and middle childhood. A substantial percentage of young children showed undesirable MC developmental patterns emphasizing the need for early and targeted interventions.

Exploring the motor skill proficiency barrier among children with intellectual disabilities: Analysis at a behavioural component level

Models of childhood motor development began to emerge in the 1960's. Since then, numerous models have proposed the importance of obtaining a proficient level of fundamental movement skill (FMS) competence during childhood and deemed it to be critical for participation in lifelong sports and physical activity. This study examined FMS at the behavioural component level in children with intellectual disabilities (CwID) (n = 100, 60% boys, aged 5-12 years). Participants were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development 3rd edition (TGMD-3) and the balance subtest from Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 (BOT-2). For the whole sample, 0% participants mastered all 10 FMS, 1% (n = 1) participants mastered all 4 locomotor skills while 0% (n = 100) participants mastered all ball skills. A multiple regression was carried out to investigate whether the interaction of gender and age was a predictor of FMS proficiency. Linear regressions were also carried out to investigate whether gender or age was a predictor of FMS proficiency. The results presented will help to identify weaknesses in skills at the behavioural component level and will enable researchers and practitioners to address low levels of motor skill proficiency among CwID.

SKIPping With PALS: Exploring Parental Engagement in a Motor Intervention for Their Preschool Children

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how parent involvement influenced the effectiveness of a movement intervention targeting gross motor skills and physical activity behavior in preschool-aged boys and girls. Methods: Parents received training at monthly school-based sessions and online to implement the movement intervention once per month at school and once per week at home across 6 months (N = 104; Mage = 48.30 months, SD = 6.90). Children completed the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 at baseline and wore physical activity trackers 24/7 for six weeks during the intervention. COVID-19 disrupted the intervention and prevented immediate post testing. Children (N = 60; Mage = 60.86 months, SD = 6.57) who returned to the center one year later completed gross motor skill retention testing. Results: For each additional school-based session attended by the parents (up to six), children's locomotor and manipulative skills were 1.87 and 1.95 points higher, respectively, at the start of the following academic year. For physical activity, each session increase in attendance at the school-based component of the intervention resulted in an additional 1455 steps in average weekly step count. Conclusion: Increased parent engagement demonstrated greater change in gross motor skills and larger acute physical activity responses. Understanding barriers that impact the level of parental intervention engagement (i.e., dose) also provides insight into why some children learn and others do not within a parent-led intervention. Although the implementation and results of this study were impacted by COVID, these data can help researchers optimize future intervention strategies.

Global hotspots and trends in research on preschool children's motor development from 2012 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

Background

Motor development plays an important role in human development throughout the lifespans, from conception to death, and has received increasing scholarly attention in recent years. However, valuable comprehensive reviews and literature analysis on this topic are still lacking. Here, this bibliometric study aimed to identify global motor development research hotspots and trends on preschool children's motor development from 2012 to 2022.

Methods

CiteSpace 6.1.R4 was used to visualize and analyze general bibliometric characteristics, research hotspots, and trends through a review of 2,583 articles on the motor development of preschool children, which were published from 2012 to 2022 and included in the Web of Science Core Collection.

Results

Research on motor development in preschool children has been carried out into a phase of rapid development. The top five frequently occurring keywords were physical activity (n = 489), performance (n = 319), intervention (n = 222), health (n = 196), and executive function (n = 165); The top five keywords in terms of centrality are academic achievement (0.22), low birth weight (0.16), association (0.14), brain (0.13), and cerebral palsy (0.13). Thirteen keyword clusters were produced from the log-likelihood ratio (Q = 0.74, S = 0.88), and five research topics has been received focused attention in recent years. The keywords with the strongest citation bursts in the last 5 years are developing country (S = 5.92), school-aged children (S = 5.86), middle-income country (S = 3.46), efficacy (S = 5.41), readiness (S = 3.21), motor proficiency (S = 3.6), and screen time (S = 3.3), indicating newly emerging research trends.

Conclusion

The results indicated that interventions involving fundamental movement skills, cognitive function, 24-h movement behaviors, neurodevelopmental disorders, and health-related fitness were hot topics in the field of motor development over the last decade. Emerging research trends generally center on school readiness, socioeconomic status, motor proficiency, and screen time.

Physical fitness of primary school children differs depending on their timing of school enrollment

Previous research has shown that children who were enrolled to school according to the legal key date (i.e., keyage children, between eight and nine years in third grade) exhibited a linear physical fitness development in the ninth year of life. In contrast, children who were enrolled with a delay (i.e., older-than-keyage children [OTK], between nine and ten years in third grade) exhibited a lower physical fitness compared to what would be expected for their age. In these studies, cross-sectional age differences within third grade and timing of school enrollment were confounded. The present study investigated the longitudinal development of keyage and OTK children from third to fifth grade. This design also afforded a comparison of the two groups at the same average chronological age, that is a dissociation of the effects of timing of school enrollment and age. We tested six physical fitness components: cardiorespiratory endurance, coordination, speed, power of lower and upper limbs, and static balance. 1502 children (i.e., 1206 keyage and 296 OTK children) from 35 schools were tested in third, fourth, and fifth grade. Except for cardiorespiratory endurance, both groups developed from third to fourth and from fourth to fifth grade and keyage children outperformed OTK children at the average ages of 9.5 or 10.5 years. For cardiorespiratory endurance, there was no significant gain from fourth to fifth grade and keyage and OTK children did not differ significantly at 10.5 years of age. One reason for a delayed school enrollment could be that a child is (or is perceived as) biologically younger than their chronological age at the school entry examination, implying a negative correlation between chronological and biological age for OTK children. Indeed, a simple reflection of chronological age brought the developmental rate of the chronologically youngest OTK children in line with the developmental rate observed for keyage children, but did not eliminate all differences. The mapping of chronological and biological age of OTK children and other possible reasons for lower physical fitness of OTK children remain a task for future research.

The relative age effect on fundamental movement skillsl in Chinese children aged 3-5 years

BACKGROUND

The cut-off date in the education system causes a relative age difference, with developmental advantages for children who are born on the "early side" of the cut-off date and disadvantages for those born later, which is known as the relative age effect (RAE). Very few studies have examined whether there is a RAE on the development of fundamental movement skills (FMSs) in preschool children, and no studies have been conducted in China. The purpose of this study is to identify whether a RAE exists on FMS in Chinese preschool children, comparing RAEs according to gender and age.

METHODS

From a total of 378 invited preschool children regularly registered at one Chinese kindergarten, a total of 288 healthy and typically developing preschoolers (4.33 ± 0.84 years-old; 56.6% boys) were included in this study. All children were required to take part in anthropometry and FMS assessments. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to examine the difference in each of the FMS items across quarter categories, year and gender groups, controlling for body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

For the overall sample, the data show the significant main effects on the quarter of birth factor in locomotor skills (LC; F (3, 265) = 2.811, p = 0.04, η_p² = 0.031), object control skills (OB; F (3, 265) = 6.319, p = 0.04, η_p² = 0.031), and total test score (TTS; F (3, 265) = 5.988, p = 0.001, η_p² = 0.063). There were also significant differences in the age effect on all the domains of FMS (F_LC (2, 265) = 100.654, p < 0.001, η_p² = 0.432; F_OB (2, 265) = 108.430, p < 0.001, η_p² = 0.450; F_TTS (2, 265) = 147.234, p < 0.001, η_p² = 0.526) but a gender effect only in LC (F (1, 265) = 20.858; p < 0.001; η_p² = 0.073). For gender and quarter of birth groups, RAEs in LC only exists in girls. Moreover, regarding age and quarter of birth factors, RAEs are only found at younger ages.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests the existence of RAEs in the FMS of Chinese preschool children. Teachers need to be aware of the effect of RAEs on the FMS when approaching development, evaluation, and teaching approaches in preschools.

Holistic Functioning from a Developmental Perspective: A New Synthesis with a Focus on a Multi-tiered System Support Structure

While research in specific academic disciplines has individually advanced knowledge and practice for promoting multiple aspects of health and well-being in children and adolescents, still missing is an understanding of the interconnectedness of many critical aspects of development and how to intentionally weave these factors to advance a more holistic approach. The need for a more holistic and inclusive approach to child and adolescent development is increasingly evident to promote long-term health and well-being as the overall percentage of children, adolescents, and adults who suffer from mental health disorders is increasing. To address this issue, our authorship team consists of researchers in the areas of developmental psychology, neuroscience, motor development, exercise science, and mental health. The collective ideas outlined in this paper are aligned to address the need to remove disciplinary-specific boundaries and elucidate synergistic linkages across multiple research domains that support holistic development and lifespan health and wellness. We propose a conceptual framework that comprehensively addresses the integration of physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and emotional domains of child and adolescent development. In addition, we also provide a holistic preventative approach that is aligned with a contemporary intervention structure (i.e., Multi-tiered Systems of Support) to promote, from a developmental perspective, positive trajectories of health and well-being across childhood and adolescence.

Reinvest to Assess: Advancing Approaches to Motor Competence Measurement Across the Lifespan

Measurement of motor competence is a vital process to advancing knowledge in the field of motor development. As motor competence is being more widely linked to research in other academic domains (e.g., public health, neuroscience, behavioral health), it is imperative that measurement methodology and protocols are reproducible with high degrees of validity and reliability. When addressing the plethora of available assessments, mostly developed for youth populations, there are potential questions and concerns that need to be addressed and/or clarified. One of the most prominent issues is the lack of a lifespan measure of motor competence, which is at odds with the premise of the field of motor development-studying changes in motor behavior across the lifespan. We address six areas of concern in lifespan assessment which include: (1) lack of assessment feasibility for conducting research with large samples, (2) lack of accountability for cultural significance of skills assessed, (3) limited sensitivity and discriminatory capabilities of assessments, (4) developmental and ecological validity limitations, (5) a problematic definition of 'success' in skill performance, and (6) task complexity and adaptability limitations. It is important to critically analyze current assessment methodologies as it will help us to envision the development and application of potential new assessments through a more comprehensive lens. Ultimately, we propose that reinvesting in how we think about assessment will be highly beneficial for integrating motor development from a holistic perspective, impact scientific advancements in other developmental domains, and increase global and lifespan surveillance of motor competence.

Effect of motor skills development on psychological and social traits of students of mazandaran province during the covid-19 pandemics

Nowadays, the covid 19 pandemics are challenging all students. The present study aimed to investigate whether motor skill development affects students' psychological and social traits during the covid 19 pandemics. The present study's population consisted of all students aged 9-17 years in the three grades of the elementary, middle, and high school in Mazandaran province in the academic year 2020-2021, which corresponded to approximately 534 thousand students. We used a simple random sampling to determine the sample size because Iranian schools were closed. In this study, we selected 15 individuals for each of the experimental and control groups. Due to some students dropping out or leaving the practice, the samples comprised 42 girls and 45 boys in the control group and 41 girls and 43 boys in the experimental group. To collect data, we used the Standard Student Social Skills Questionnaire by Garsham and Elliott (1990), Cooper-Smith Self-Esteem Questionnaire, and Children's Depression Scale Short Form (CDS-A). We conducted the experimental group for 36 sessions, i.e., three months and three sessions per week, and each session lasted 30-45 min, depending on the quarantine conditions on the 19th day. To analyze the data, we used a two-way analysis of variance and the Scheffe post hoc test. The results showed that all groups had lower scores in psychological traits than those in the pretest. However, no significant difference was found between groups (P. < 0.05), and this effect was not significant in social traits (05/0 < P.). We also suggest that school principals and health care professionals use this study to design guidelines for creating a healthy environment and developing health-oriented educational programs to improve students' quality of life and health.

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.

Transitional Movement Skill Dependence on Fundamental Movement Skills: Testing Seefeldt's Proficiency Barrier

Purpose: In 1979 Vern Seefeldt postulated that individuals that did not achieve a given level of proficiency in the fundamental movement skills (FMS) would be limited in performance on new and more complex skills during development. This hypothesis, the proficiency barrier, inspired research in motor development but, to the best of our knowledge, was never empirically tested. The present article tested three potential mathematical functions (linear, sigmoidal and piecewise) describing the proficiency barrier relating FMS with a transitional movement skill (TMS, a more complex movement skill). Methods: 87 children aged 7 to 10 years were tested on six skills of the TGMD-2 test battery (running, hopping, leaping, kicking, catching and stationary bouncing) and dribbling (a combination of running and stationary bouncing). Results: The results showed evidence for the proficiency barrier based on a specific sigmoidal relation. We also identified critical movement aspects from FMS that seem to induce this relation. Conclusion: There is some evidence supporting Seefeldt's Proficiency Barrier.

Improving gross motor skills of children through traditional games skills practiced along the contextual interference continuum

Gross motor skills (GMS) are the foundation for humans reaching an optimum level of motor competence necessary to undergo normal development, maintain health, and achieve athletic excellence. Yet, there is evidence that GMS levels of children are on a decline globally. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of traditional cultural games (TCG) skills, practiced according to different amounts of contextual interference (CI), on the acquisition and retention of GMS. A total of 103 Pakistani primary school children aged between 7 and 10 years were recruited for this study. Participants were randomly assigned to four practice groups with different amounts of CI: Block (B) (low interference), gradually increasing (GI) (moderate interference), random (R) (high interference), and game-based (high interference). The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) was used to assess four tasks [overhead throw (OT), underhand throw (UT), catch (C), and throwing to a target]. The test was administered on four occasions: during pre-test, post-test, retention, and transfer. The results showed that the R group outperformed all the other groups in the post-test and the retention test. Meanwhile, in the transfer test, both R and Game-Based groups performed better than the B and GI groups. There were no differences between the R and Game-Based groups during transfer. Practicing TCG skills according to a random order was better for the acquisition and learning of GMS. The CI effect was evident, whereby high interference practice schedules were superior to low and moderate interference practice schedules.

Promoting Children's Psychomotor Development with Multi-Teaching Didactics

This group randomized control trial examined the dose-response effect of varied combinations of linear and nonlinear pedagogy (enriched physical education with specific program led by specialist vs. conventional physical education led by generalist) for improving first-grade children's motor creativity, executive functions, self-efficacy, and learning enjoyment. We led three physical education classes per group through 12 weeks of combined instruction, based on linear and nonlinear pedagogy: mostly linear (ML; 80% linear, 20% nonlinear; n = 62); mostly nonlinear (MNL; 20% linear, 80% nonlinear; n = 61); and control (C; conventional teaching from generalists; n = 60). MNL improved in (a) motor creativity ability (DMA; 48.7%, 76.5%, and 47.6% for locomotor, stability, and manipulative tasks, respectively); (b) executive functions (working memory and inhibitory control) for RNG task (14.7%) and task errors (70.8%); (c) self-efficacy (5.9%); and (d) enjoyment (8.3%). In ML, DMA improved by 18.0% in locomotor and 60.9% in manipulative tasks. C improved of 10.5% in enjoyment, and RNG task worsened by 22.6%. MNL improvements in DMA tasks, executive functions, and self-efficacy were significantly better than those in C. ML was better than C in DMA task and in executive functions' task errors. Overall, ML and MNL approaches were more effective than conventional generalist teaching (C), and the MNL combination of 80% nonlinear and 20% linear pedagogy was optimal. We recommend that educators favor the MNL approach.

Reliability levels of motor competence in youth athletes

This study aimed to analyze the reliability of the tests included in the motor competence assessment (MCA) battery and compare the effects of the number of trials per test. Thirty female volleyball players (14.6 ± 1.3 years of age) were tested. The participants performed two or three trials of each test. Intra-class correlation (ICC) was calculated, and a paired sample t-test analyzed the variations between trials (1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd). Results revealed a significant difference between the first and the second trials for jumping sideways [t(29) = -4.108, p < 0.01], standing long jump [t(29) = -3.643, p < 0.01], and shuttle run [t(29) = -3.139, p < 0.01]. No significant result was registered in the shifting platforms, ball throwing and kicking between the first and second trials. Hence, any difference was recorded between the second and third trial. High ICC values were registered in lateral jumps, among the three repetitions of ball kicking and ball throwing, and between the last two repetitions of shuttle run. Almost perfect values were recorded for the shifting platforms and standing long jump. Nevertheless, there seems to be a learning effect between the first and the second repetition-no differences were registered only considering the two manipulative tests. In conclusion, except for jumping sideways, the MCA tests are reliable and only need to be performed two times instead of three.

The Effects of an Integrative, Universally Designed Motor Skill Intervention for Young Children With and Without Disabilities

Many interventions feature a singular component approach to targeting children's motor competency and proficiency. Yet, little is known about the use of integrative interventions to meet the complex developmental needs of children aged 3-6 years. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an integrative universally designed intervention on children with and without disabilities' motor competency and proficiency. We selected children (N = 111; disability = 24; no disability = 87) to participate in either a school-based integrative motor intervention (n = 53) or a control condition (n = 58). Children in the integrative motor intervention both with and without disabilities showed significant improvement in motor competency and proficiency (p < .001) as compared with peers with and without disabilities in a control condition. Early childhood center directors (e.g., preschool and kindergarten) should consider implementing integrative universally designed interventions targeting multiple aspects of motor development to remediate delays in children with and without disabilities.

The Relationship Between Functional Motor Competence and Performance on the Army Combat Fitness Test in Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets

INTRODUCTION

The development of functional motor competence (FMC; i.e., neuromuscular coordination and control required to meet a wide range of movement goals) is critical to long-term development of health- and performance-related physical capacities (e.g., muscular strength and power, muscular endurance, and aerobic endurance). Secular decline in FMC among U.S. children and adolescents presents current and future challenges for recruiting prospective military personnel to successfully perform the physical demands of military duty. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between FMC and physical military readiness (PMR) in a group of Cadets enrolled in an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets from a southeastern university and a military college in the southeast (females = 22; Mage = 19.5 ± 2.5) volunteered for participation in the study. Cadets performed a battery of eight FMC assessments consisting of locomotor, object projection, and functional coordination tasks. To assess PMR, Cadets performed the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).Values from all FMC assessments were standardized based on the sample and summed to create a composite FMC score. ACFT scores were assigned to Cadets based upon ACFT scoring standards. We used Pearson correlations to assess the relationships between individual FMC assessment raw scores, FMC composite scores, and total ACFT points. We also evaluated the potential impact of FMC on ACFT in the entire sample and within each gender subgroup using hierarchical linear regression. Finally, we implemented a 3 × 2 chi-squared analysis to evaluate the predictive utility of FMC level on pass/fail results on the ACFT by categorizing Cadets' composite FMC score into high (≥75th percentile) moderate (≥25th percentile and <75th percentile), and low (<25th percentile) based on the percentile ranks within the sample. ACFT pass/fail results were determined using ACFT standards, requiring a minimum of 60 points on each the ACFT subtests.

RESULTS

FMC composite scores correlated strongly with total ACFT performance (r = 0.762) with individual FMC tests demonstrating weak-to-strong relationships ACFT performance (r = 0.200-0.769). FMC uniquely accounted for 15% (95% CI: -0.07 to 0.36) of the variance in ACFT scores in females (R2 = 0.516, F2,19 = 10.11, P < 0.001) and 26% (95% CI: 0.09-0.43) in males (R2 = 0.385, F2,65 = 20.37, P < 0.001), respectively, above and beyond the impact of age. The 3 × 2 chi-squared analysis demonstrated 74% of those with low, 28% with moderate, and 17% with high FMC failed the ACFT (χ2 [1, N = 90] = 27.717, V = 0.555, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

FMC composite scores are strongly correlated with ACFT scores, and low levels of FMC were a strong predictor of ACFT failure. These data support the hypothesis that the development of sufficient FMC in childhood and adolescence may be a critical antecedent for PMR. Efforts to improve FMC in children and adolescents may increase PMR of future military recruits.

Physical Illiteracy and Obesity Barrier: How Physical Education Can Overpass Potential Adverse Effects? A Narrative Review

Environments lacking in stimuli together with ineffective physical education programs can lead to motor illiteracy, causing several adverse effects that could be worsened by unhealthy weight conditions (e.g., obesity). Obesity can be seen as an actual barrier for children and adolescents, especially for affective, behavioral, physical, and cognitive domains. In this context, condensing what the literature proposes could be useful in order to improve the understanding of the best intervention strategies (i.e., proper physical education programs) to manage the adverse effects of motor illiteracy in relation to the obesity barrier. The purpose of this narrative review is to improve the understanding on how physical education programs can counteract the adverse effects of physical illiteracy and obesity barrier across childhood and adolescence. Proper physical education programs should develop motor competence by fostering an individual’s awareness, self-perception, autonomous motivation, and muscular fitness on a realistic scenario (functional task difficulty related to his/her possibilities) in the attempt to counteract the adverse effects of the obesity barrier. Such programs should be designed without overlooking a proper multi teaching style approach.

Associations between swimming & cycling abilities and fitness in 9-11 year old boys and girls

The associations between swimming and cycling abilities and fitness levels in 9-11-year-old children were examined. A cross-sectional study involving 2258 children (50.7% boys; aged 10.52 ± 0.6 years) from 33 schools across Wales, participated in Swan/BridgeLinx health, fitness, and lifestyle programmes between 2013-2019. Health and fitness data were collected; namely body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, flexibility, power, and speed using standardised measures. Children completed an online survey collecting data on swimming and cycling abilities and sports club attendance. Multivariate multilevel regressions were used to examine the associations between measures. The ability to swim and cycle was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with all components of fitness when accounting for age, body mass index (BMI), deprivation, gender, and sports club attendance. Boys outperformed girls with significant interactions between swimming, cycling and cardiorespiratory fitness for gender by swim (p = 0.001) and gender by cycle (p = 0.015). The gender by cycle interaction significantly predicted grip strength and power (p < 0.05). Swimming and cycling are important "milestones" in the journey of motor development and are associated with higher levels of fitness. These activities should be promoted to allow for an optimal development of motor skills, fitness, and health.

Aquatic Physical Literacy: The Effectiveness of Applied Pedagogy on Parents' and Children's Perceptions of Aquatic Motor Competence

The goal of swimming school during early school age is to promote physical literacy. According to linear or non-linear pedagogy, a linear or non-linear approach teaching style can be used. The aim of our study was to investigate whether a different teaching methodology, as in using a teacher-centered approach (linear pedagogy), or a student-centered approach (non-linear pedagogy), could differently influence the perceptions of aquatic activity of children and parents. Parents of 100 children (53 females and 47 males, age 5.9 ± 0.3 years old) participating in the study were previously interviewed to ascertain their expectations regarding the swimming course. Participants were in a medium-high social context. Subsequently, considering the data of the incoming aquatic motor competence's tests, children were divided into a linear (LI) and non-linear (NL) pedagogy group. A total of 4 instructors were enrolled. Upon completing the swimming course, the aquatic motor competence's test was repeated, a pictorial scale of perceived motor competence was administered, and a questionnaire regarding the course was proposed to children's parents. Physical development and learn to swim resulted two of the most important reasons leading parents to choose swimming courses. LI achieved greater progress than the NL in actual motor competence (A.M.C.), while NL perceived a higher aquatic motor competence (P.M.C.) in 7 out of 10 items of the pictorial scale. Parents of children in LI, gave greater importance to the teacher's role, while NL's parents pointed the acquisition of children's abilities as pivotal. In conclusion, NL approach was more appreciated by children, while LI method was more rewarding for parents because initial expectations were satisfied.

Motor competence in fundamental motor skills and sport skill learning: Testing the proficiency barrier hypothesis

We investigated whether motor competence in fundamental motor skills influences sports motor skill learning. Motor competence in fundamental motor skills related to the overhead volleyball serve (i.e., throwing and volleying) was evaluated in 38 children (aged 9-10 yrs) and participants were divided into lower and higher motor competence groups. The groups practiced the volleyball serve under random or constant-random conditions during an acquisition phase and then assessed in pre-test, intermediate, and retention tests. A three-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed performance improvement from pre-test to retention test only for high motor competence groups in fundamental motor skills. Initial competence in fundamental motor skills influences sport skills learning and demonstrates a potential proficiency barrier to learning complex-sports motor skills.

Standing Long Jump Performance in Youth with Visual Impairments: A Multidimensional Examination

Muscular fitness, an important marker of health in youth, includes explosive strength, which can be assessed using the standing long jump (SLJ). Little is known concerning the SLJ in populations with disabilities such as youth with visual impairments (VI) who trend with decreased health- and performance-related outcomes. The purposes of this study were to investigate multidimensional SLJ performance outcomes in youth with VI (i.e., descriptives and percentages of occurrence) and to explore associations among such variables and known factors of interest (e.g., age) using robust linear bivariate regressions. This study was a secondary analysis from data collected in 2018 (N = 61, M_age = 12.98 years, SD = 2.21). SLJ performance was investigated using a multidimensional focus (e.g., distance, Test of Gross Motor Development-3 horizontal jump, landing developmental sequences, landing joint displacement, and stabilization after landing). In general, SLJ performance was substandard in youth with VI. Most SLJ assessment scores were predictive of other SLJ assessment scores. Few hypothesized variables of interest (e.g., multimorbidity) were predictive of SLJ performance. Youth with VI who match the characteristics of the current sample may have decreased explosive strength/muscular fitness and, worryingly, their SLJ performance may not be influenced by expected factors (e.g., age). Implications and explanations for these results are discussed.

Actual and Perceived Motor Competence in Relation to Body Mass Index in Primary School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review

Unhealthy-weight status may represent a precursor of poor actual (AMC) (i.e., process- and product-oriented) and perceived (PMC) motor competence. AMC and PMC represent key elements favoring long-term commitment in sports and day-to-day life physical activity. In fact, the development of AMC and PMC during the primary school years could help to counteract weight-related negative effects (i.e., overweight or obesity) that are responsible for sedentary or unhealthy behavior across the life span. Therefore, this review aimed to provide a synopsis of the current research investigating the relation of AMC and PMC with weight status and in the context of potential gender differences. Systematic research in five electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus) was conducted from April 2021 to May 2021 in compliance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they involved obese or overweight youth (6–10 years) with no physical or cognitive impairment and used a longitudinal or a cross-sectional assessment of motor competence and perceived motor competence outcomes. After the selection process and after duplicates were removed, the final sample included 27 studies. Most of the studies reported that AMC and PMC are negatively associated with weight status, with male and females differing from each other in overall and subtest (locomotor, object control, and stability skills) AMC scores. However, according to a risk of bias assessment, the level of evidence linked to the association of AMC (process and product) and PMC with weight status (BMI) remained uncertain and lacking, respectively. Further high-quality studies are warranted to improve the understanding of AMC and PMC in relation to weight status, which appears to be differently expressed by gender in primary school years. Regardless, based on the current quantitative data, the emerging inverse association between AMC/PMC and weight status implies that it would be best to limit sedentary behavior by including daily lessons in physical education to limit unfavorable conditions (i.e., obesity and overweight) during the school years.

Associations Between Parent Perspectives and Motor Competence in Children With CHARGE Syndrome

Children with CHARGE syndrome, an extremely complex, highly variable genetic disorder, are significantly delayed in the onset of their motor milestones in comparison with children without disabilities due to sensory and motor deficits as well as lengthy hospitalizations and reduced physical activity. Currently, the role of parents’ perceptions and participation in the motor development of their child with CHARGE is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between parents’ perceptions and their child’s motor competence, comparing parents of children with and without CHARGE syndrome. Participants included 33 children with CHARGE and 38 children without disabilities. Parents completed the Child’s Movement Skills Research parent survey and children were assessed on their gross motor skills. Parental ratings of locomotor ability and time spent participating with their child predicted the locomotor, ball skill, and total motor skill scores in the CHARGE group. Control group parents’ rating of ball scores predicted ball skill and total skill scores. The results indicate that parents may play an important role in their child with CHARGE syndrome’s motor development. Parents who are more involved with their child’s movement activities can positively influence their motor competence.

The Brief Form of the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 for Individuals with Visual Impairments

Children with visual impairments (VI) tend to struggle with their fundamental motor skills (FMS), and these difficulties often persist across the lifespan, requiring frequent assessment. The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) shows robust psychometric properties for children with VI. The TGMD, which includes 13 skills, is time-consuming to administer and score, warranting the need to explore brief versions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of three, six-skill versions of the TGMD-3 with children with VI. Children (n = 302; Boys = 58%, Girls = 42%; Mage = 13.00, SD = 2.50 years) with VI (B1 = 27%, B2 = 20%, B3 = 38%, B4 = 15%) participated in this study. We examined three different models using confirmatory factor analyses on the relationships between the motor skills and latent traits across the models. Scores from all three brief versions had acceptable global fit. Although further research should be conducted, practitioners can adopt a brief version of the TGMD to assess children with VI.

Relationship between motor fitness, fundamental movement skills, and quality of movement patterns in primary school children

Seefeldt`s classic motor development pyramid model recognizes the significance of fundamental movement skills (FMS) in physical activities and proposes a "proficiency barrier" between FMS and higher-level specific sports skills during middle childhood. However, the relationship between the layers of the conceptual model has not been empirically tested. This study investigated motor fitness (MF), FMS, and quality of movement patterns (QMP) in 7-10 years old children and evaluated the relationships among them. A total of 117 children were randomly selected to take tests of MF, the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2), and the Functional Movement Screen (FMS™). MF and FMS levels were classified according to percentile ranges. Two multiple (R×C) Chi-Square tests were applied to analyze the relationships between MF, FMS, and QMP. Post-hoc testing estimated the possibility of FMS and QMP to predict MF. The results showed that boys scored significantly higher on the object-control subtest and on the TGMD-2 compared to girls (p<0.001), while girls scored significantly higher on the FMS™ (p = 0.001). FMS score and QMP level were weakly correlated with MF (FMS: χ2 = 14.605, p = 0.006, Cramer`s V = 0.25; QMP: χ2 = 13.943, p = 0.007, Cramer`s V = 0.24). Thus, 60.5% of children with "excellent" FMS and 59.6% with "high" QMP were categorized as having a "good" MF. In contrast, only 23.1% of children with "poor" FMS and 24.3% with "low" QMP were classified as having a "good" MF. Our results confirm MF, FMS, and QMP are correlated with each other, although this relationship is weak. Further, a possible motor skill proficiency barrier exists already in children 7-10 years old. The study results support the promotion of physical activity and motor skill development in primary school children.

Longitudinal Locomotor Competence and Body Mass Index Across Self-Reported Gender and Vision Level for Youth With Visual Impairments: A 3-Year Investigation

Youth with visual impairments are more likely to be overweight than peers without visual impairments and often struggle with their locomotor skills. Locomotor development can combat unhealthy body weight statuses by supporting physical activity behaviors. There are no longitudinal investigations concerning the locomotor skill and body mass index (BMI) developmental trajectories of youth with visual impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine the 3-year developmental trajectory of the locomotor skills and BMI of youth with visual impairments including differential effects of self-reported gender and degree of vision. Participants (N = 34, Mage = 11.75 years, 47% female) showed severely delayed and arrested locomotor development with increases in BMI across 3 years regardless of self-reported gender or degree of vision. Participants failed to breech a proficiency barrier of motor competence to combat against increases in BMI across time. Additional longitudinal inquiries are needed.

Assessing Rolling Abilities in Primary School Children: Physical Education Specialists vs. Generalists

Teaching physical education requires competencies to conduct the classes and to assess the motor skills of practitioners. Specialists (physical education professionals) and generalists (primary school teachers) differently experienced motor tasks during their academic education. This study aimed to compare the teachers’ ability in assessing the children’s forward and backward rolls from the analysis of the reliability of an evaluation grid of rolling abilities (Information Scale for Agility on the Soil, InfoSAS), which was investigated in a first study with teachers. A second study in young children explored the responsiveness of the InfoSAS to discriminate by skill level or by training effects. When administered by specialists, the InfoSAS resulted in being reliable (forward: p = 0.087 and p = 0.908; backward: p = 0.926 and p = 0.910; intra- and inter-rater reliability, respectively) and responsive in detecting differences due to expertise (gymnasts vs. primary school children; forward: p = 0.003, backward: p = 0.016) or improvements after specific training in rolling (pre- vs. post-children’s training; forward: p = 0.005, backward: p = 0.001). The results support the conclusion that specialists exhibit higher competence than generalists, which allows proper application of the InfoSAS, possibly because of the practice of skills and reflective teaching styles in physical activity they experienced, along with their academic education in sport sciences.