Does Perception of Motor Competence Mediate Associations between Motor Competence and Physical Activity in Early Years Children?

Charlotte Hall,Samuel Oxford,Emma Eyre,Michael Duncan

doi:10.3390/sports7040077

Abstract

Objectives: To examine if the relationship between physical activity (PA) and actual motor competence (MC) in British early years children is mediated by their perceived MC. Design: Cross-sectional convenience observational study. Methodology: MC was assessed with six locomotor skills (LC) and six object-control skills (OC) via the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. PA was measured via a wrist-worn triaxial accelerometer and PA grouped as daily total PA (TPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Perceived MC was assessed using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Children. A total of 38 children (63% male; 37% female) aged between 3 and 6 years (5.41 ± 0.69) completed all assessments. Mediating impacts of perceived MC on the relationships between PA and MC were explored via backwards mediation regressions. Results: There were no mediating impacts of perceived MC on the relationship between PA and actual MC. Conclusions: The relationship between actual MC and PA is not mediated by perceived MC in a small sample of British early years childhood.

Highlights

Increased fatness in childhood is associated with obesity and obesity-related diseases in adulthood including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers, and is a public health priority to reduce [1]
This study examined relations between physical activity (PA), and actual and perceived motor competence (MC) in early years between
This study examined relations physical activity (PA), and actualPA, andvalidated perceived motor competence (MC) in early years British children, using objectively measured PA, validated and related measures of actual and perceived

Summary

Introduction

Increased fatness in childhood is associated with obesity and obesity-related diseases in adulthood including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers, and is a public health priority to reduce [1]. Physical activity (PA) is one proposed solution to reduce overweightness and obesity [2]. Aside from reducing fatness, PA benefits such as reducing the risk of diabetes mellitus, cancer (colon and breast), and mental ill-health are well established [3]. Overweight children are less physically active than healthy weight children [5] and there is overall concern that children are not participating in enough PA for health benefits [6]. In order to promote effective PA engagement for health benefits, it is important to understand the correlates and mediators of PA [2,7]

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