In 2008, Stodden and colleagues took a unique developmental approach toward addressing the potential role of motor competence in promoting positive or negative trajectories of physical activity, ...health-related fitness, and weight status. The conceptual model proposed synergistic relationships among physical activity, motor competence, perceived motor competence, health-related physical fitness, and obesity with associations hypothesized to strengthen over time. At the time the model was proposed, limited evidence was available to support or refute the model hypotheses. Over the past 6 years, the number of investigations exploring these relationships has increased significantly. Thus, it is an appropriate time to examine published data that directly or indirectly relate to specific pathways noted in the conceptual model. Evidence indicates that motor competence is positively associated with perceived competence and multiple aspects of health (i.e., physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and a healthy weight status). However, questions related to the increased strength of associations across time and antecedent/consequent mechanisms remain. An individual's physical and psychological development is a complex and multifaceted process that synergistically evolves across time. Understanding the most salient factors that influence health and well-being and how relationships among these factors change across time is a critical need for future research in this area. This knowledge could aid in addressing the declining levels of physical activity and fitness along with the increasing rates of obesity across childhood and adolescence.
Process-oriented motor competence (MC) assessments evaluate how a movement is performed. Product-oriented assessments evaluate the outcome of a movement. Determining the concurrent validity of ...process and product assessments is important to address the predictive utility of motor competence for health. The current study aimed to: (1) compare process and product assessments of the standing long jump, hop and throw across age groups and (2) determine the capacity of process assessments to classify levels of MC. Participants included 170 children classified into three age groups: 4-5, 7-8 and 10-11 years old. Participants' skills were examined concurrently using three process assessments ((Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd edition TGMD-2), Get Skilled; Get Active, and developmental sequences) and one product measure (throw speed, jump and hop distance). Results indicate moderate to strong correlations between (1) process assessments across skills and age groups (r range = .37-70) and (2) process and product assessments across skills and age groups (r range = .26-.88). In general, sensitivity to detect advanced skill level is lowest for TGMD-2 and highest for developmental sequences for all three skills. The use of process and product assessments is suggested to comprehensively capture levels of MC in human movement.
In 1980, Seefeldt introduced the concept of a motor skill "proficiency barrier" that provides a conceptual basis for understanding the importance of a motor skill barrier as it relates to critical ...public health initiatives. While the intent of Seefeldt's proficiency barrier hypothesis had great potential to advance the field of motor development, the notion of a proficiency barrier was not empirically tested. Instead, this concept lay dormant for several decades. The purpose of this paper was to expand upon Seefeldt's proficiency barrier concept in greater detail by addressing the following questions: (1) what constitutes a motor proficiency barrier? (2) how do we assess/measure the existence of a proficiency barrier? and (3) how do we break through the proficiency barrier in order to maximize the likelihood of participation in health-enhancing levels of physical activity later on in life? We conclude with a future research suggestion to explore the existence of the proficiency barrier.
The three aims of this systematic review are to describe: (1) use of the term fundamental motor/movement skills (FMS) in published articles; (2) the quality of definitions; and (3) relative use of ...process- and product- oriented assessments to measure FMS. The inclusion criteria included: (a) peer-reviewed article, (b) printed in English, (c) published between January 2000 and 31 December 2015, (d) presence of either the term "fundamental motor or movement skill" in the title and/or abstract, and (e) FMS were a measured outcome. There has been an increase in the number of publications on FMS in recent years, with the majority of studies conducted in Australia (n = 41, 33%). Approximately 24% of studies (n = 30) did not provide any explicit definition of FMS. A majority of studies reported the use of process-oriented measures (n = 98, 79%) compared to product-oriented measures (n = 23, 19%), and few studies used both (n = 6, 5%). We recommend that researchers provide: (1) an operational definition of FMS that states FMS are the "building blocks" (or similar terminology) of more advanced, complex movements; (2) specific categories of skills that compose FMS; and (3) at least one specific example of a FMS.
This study evaluated whether a theory‐based intervention in physical education (PE) designed to train self‐control may positively impact children’s quick‐temperedness and disruptiveness and whether ...changes in executive functions (EFs) may be a correlate or antecedent of such effects. One hundred and sixteen children aged 8–9 years participated in a 2‐year intervention and completed three assessments at baseline, 6‐ and 18‐month follow‐ups in quick‐temperedness and disruptiveness, hot and cool EFs. After the intervention, children in the intervention group showed lower quick‐temperedness and disruptiveness and improvement in hot EF. Changes over the intervention period were moderately associated and showed marginal evidence of causal ordering, suggesting that designed PE may benefit self‐control through a possible linkage to hot EF improvement.
Evidence supports a positive association between competence in fundamental movement skills (e.g., kicking, jumping) and physical activity in young people. Whilst important, fundamental movement ...skills do not reflect the broad diversity of skills utilized in physical activity pursuits across the lifespan. Debate surrounds the question of what are the most salient skills to be learned which facilitate physical activity participation across the lifespan. In this paper, it is proposed that the term 'fundamental movement skills' be replaced with 'foundational movement skills'. The term 'foundational movement skills' better reflects the broad range of movement forms that increase in complexity and specificity and can be applied in a variety of settings. Thus, 'foundational movement skills' includes both traditionally conceptualized 'fundamental' movement skills and other skills (e.g., bodyweight squat, cycling, swimming strokes) that support physical activity engagement across the lifespan. A proposed conceptual model outlines how foundational movement skill competency can provide a direct or indirect pathway, via specialized movement skills, to a lifetime of physical activity. Foundational movement skill development is hypothesized to vary according to culture and/or geographical location. Further, skill development may be hindered or enhanced by physical (i.e., fitness, weight status) and psychological (i.e., perceived competence, self-efficacy) attributes. This conceptual model may advance the application of motor development principles within the public health domain. Additionally, it promotes the continued development of human movement in the context of how it leads to skillful performance and how movement skill development supports and maintains a lifetime of physical activity engagement.
Although significant attention has been paid to promoting the importance of physical activity in children, adolescents, and adults, we do not currently understand how to promote sustained physical ...activity levels throughout the lifespan. We contend that previous research has failed to consider the dynamic and synergistic role that motor skill competence plays in the initiation, maintenance, or decline of physical activity and how this role might change across developmental time. In this article, we present a conceptual model hypothesizing the relationships among physical activity, motor skill competence, perceived motor skill competence, health-related physical fitness, and obesity. We contend that the development of motor skill competence is a primary underlying mechanism that promotes engagement in physical activity.
The purpose of this study was to investigate reciprocal relationships among students’ motor competence (MC) (leaping, throwing, catching, jumping skills), perceived physical competence, ...health‐related fitness (HRF) (20 m shuttle run, push‐up, abdominal muscles endurance tests) and objectively measured moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Participants included 422 Grade 5 Finnish children (246 girls). Two separate structural equation models investigated paths (a) from MC through both perceived physical competence and HRF to MVPA, and (b) from MVPA through both perceived physical competence and HRF to MC. Model 1 demonstrated an indirect path from MC through HRF to MVPA and a direct path from MC to perceived physical competence for both boys and girls. Additionally, model 1 revealed a direct path from perceived physical competence to MVPA for the girls and from MC to MVPA for the boys. MC, perceived physical competence, and HRF explained 13% of variance in MVPA for the girls and 25% for the boys. Model 2 indicated indirect paths from MVPA through perceived physical competence to MC and from MVPA through HRF to MC for both boys and girls. Additionally, a direct path from MVPA to MC was found in the boys’ group. MVPA, perceived physical competence, and HRF explained 48% of variance in MC for the girls and 53% for the boys. Results of this study provide preliminary support for the reciprocal nature of relationships among MC development, perceived physical competence, HRF and MVPA.
Appropriate instruction is a key component of quality physical education, which aligns student learning activities with grade-level learning outcomes. Historically, in the 1980s and late 1990s, an ...abundance of research was conducted to empirically link teacher effectiveness to student learning outcomes. In recent years, however, limited research has been published. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to: (a) identify research studies examining appropriate instructional practice in K-12 physical education since 2000, (b) describe the study characteristics and summarize the findings, (c) compare research to the SHAPE America's guidelines for appropriate instruction, and (d) make recommendations for future research. Methods: This study was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) standards of quality for reporting meta-analyses. A systematic search of five electronic databases was conducted. Two reviewers retrieved articles, assessed risk of bias, and performed data extraction. The findings were synthesized using a descriptive analysis. Results: A total of 37 articles met the inclusion criteria. A thematic analysis was conducted to reduce the included articles into four themes that influenced student outcomes: (1) student engagement and participation, (2) motivation, (3) student learning, and (4) physical activity and fitness. Conclusions: This review of the literature provides evidence of the benefits of effective teaching practices and suggests that future studies in instruction should focus on teacher effectiveness and its relation to student learning outcomes. Recommendations and future directions are discussed.
The current study evaluated the reciprocal longitudinal relationship between physical activity (PA) and motor competence (MC) and the potential mediation of cardiorespiratory endurance across 7 ...years.
This was a 7-year longitudinal study, the Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study (CoSCIS), with 3 measuring points mean ages (in years) and respective sample size: 6.75 ± 0.37, n = 696; 9.59 ± 1.07, n = 617; 13.35 ± 0.34, n = 513. PA was assessed using accelerometers. MC was evaluated by the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) test battery. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO
peak) was evaluated using a continuous running protocol until exhaustion. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the longitudinal associations.
Vigorous PA (VPA) and MC presented reciprocal longitudinal association during the 7-year follow-up (VPA → MC; β = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.26; MC → VPA; β = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.21). In addition, VO
peak mediated the relationship in both directions (VPA → MC; β = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.12; MC → VPA; β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.09).
PA and MC presented a positive reciprocal relationship across childhood through early adolescence and VO
peak mediated the association in both directions. Interventions targeting to increase PA in children and adolescents should also address the development of MC skills because of the clear positive feedback loop between PA and MC.
PDF
