Motor Competence Assessment Research Articles

Can motor competence be influenced by the type of training interventions preschool children are exposed to? A randomized experimental study comparing sports games and psychomotricity activities

IntroductionThis study aimed to compare the effects of structured sports games (SG) and psychomotricity activities (PCM) on the locomotor, stability, and manipulative motor competencies of preschool children.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted over an 8-week period, involving two experimental groups (SG, n = 30 and PCM, n = 30) and one control group (CG, n = 28), with participants attending two intervention sessions per week. A total of 88 5-year-old children participated in the experiment (boys n = 48; girls n = 40). They were evaluated three times (at baseline, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks) using the Motor Competence Assessment test to measure their locomotor, stability, and manipulative motor competencies.ResultsThe scores were standardized to percentiles based on sex and age. However, significant differences were observed between groups post-intervention in the locomotor domain (p = 0.003; ηp2 = 0.128), with the SG showing significantly higher values compared to the CG (mean difference: 17.0%; p = 0.021; d = 0.783), and PCM (mean difference: 19.8%; p = 0.005; d = 0.947). Additionally, significant differences were found between groups post-intervention in the manipulative domain (p = 0.001; ηp2 = 0.142), with the SG showing significantly higher values compared to the CG (mean difference: 19.3%; p = 0.009; d = 0.845) and PCM (mean difference: 21.4%; p = 0.003; d = 0.998).DiscussionOur study highlights the significant benefits of increased practice in developing motor competence, particularly in children’s locomotor and manipulative skills. Additionally, at this age, fun, competition, and social interaction seem to play a crucial role, as the SG group demonstrated greater improvements compared to the PCM group.

Motor Competence in Autistic Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Children with autism exhibit deficits in fundamental motor skills, which are intensified when associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To correlate motor competence in children with autism, autism levels according to the CARS scale, and the association with ADHD. This cross-sectional study assessed motor competence using the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA), the severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder by Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and the presence of clinical signs for ADHD using Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham (SNAP-IV) questionnaire. A total of 68 children were recruited; however, 23 were not included due to non-acceptance and/or were excluded because of associated pathologies, high autism severity. Consequently, 45 children (11 with ADHD) between the ages of 5 and 11 (Mean: 8.15; ±1.75) with 83.72% being male. Multiple linear regression revealed a significant inverse correlation between MCA scores and raw CARS data (p = 0.01), indicating that greater autism severity is associated with lower motor competence. The correlation was also observed in CARS classifications, with higher autism severity corresponding to lower motor percentiles (p = 0.05). However, the correlation between the presence of ADHD and motor competence in children with ASD did not reach significance. Overall, a significant correlation was observed (p = 0.006) when analyzing all variables (CARS scores, SNAP scores, and CARS classification). Therefore, it is believed that children with autism exhibit deficits in functional motor skills, with severity impacting motor competence. The findings underscore the need for systematic motor skill assessments in children with autism, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and intervention in this aspect of their development.

Associations of process- and hybrid-oriented motor competence assessment in spanish adolescents

Introduction: despite the discrepancies between process and product-oriented motor assessments, some hybrid tests exist in the literature that provide a more comprehensive approach. Objetive: the study explored the associations between process and hybrid-oriented motor assessments in Spanish adolescents to test possible overlapping motor competence (MC) constructs. Methodology: a sample of 82 Spanish public high school students underwent assessments using the Test of Gross Motor Development – 3rd edition (TGMD-3) and the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) on separate days within the same week. Results: in boys, all variables showed significant associations, with a moderate correlation observed between TGMD-3 manipulative skills score (TGMD-3-MS) and CAMSA skill score (CAMSA-SS) (r = 0.30-0.49). For other variables, correlations were classified as high (r ≥ 0.50). Among girls, significant associations were found between TGMD-3-MS and CAMSA-SS, TGMD-3-MS and CAMSA total score (CAMSA-T), TGMD-3 loco-motor skills score (TGMD-3-LS) and CAMSA-T, TGMD-3 total score and CAMSA-SS, and TGMD-3 total score and CAMSA-T. All associations for girls were moderate (r = 0.30-0.49). Boys exhibited statistically significant higher means in height (effect size [ES] = 0.65), TGMD-3-MS (ES = 1.74), TGMD-3-T (ES = 1.07), CAMSA-TS (ES = 1.09), and CAMSA-T (ES = 0.97). Discussion: the significant associations found between tests align with the established patterns observed in other hybrid and process-oriented tests in the literature. Conclusions: these results suggest that both tests may measure similar MC constructs. However, caution should be exercised in Spanish adolescent girls, where fewer correlations were observed between tests and the associations were weaker.

Motor Competence and Difficulty of Self-Set Goals on Motor Learning

Motor competence is associated with the perceived difficulty of a task. This study hypothesized that children with higher motor competence perceive certain tasks as less challenging than their peers with lower motor competence. As a result, children with higher motor competence were expected to set more ambitious goals for themselves while learning a new task compared to children with lower motor competence. To investigate the relationship between motor competence and the difficulty of self-set goals during motor learning, we included 48 children aged between eight and ten years, stratified into terciles; our analysis focused on 32 children from the highest and lowest terciles. The experimental task required participants to throw a 100 g bean bag toward a target located 3 meters away. Children were instructed to set goals before each block of 10 trials during the learning phase. Pretest, retention, and transfer tests were administered without imposed goals. Motor competence was assessed using the Motor Competence Assessment, which integrates scores from the task used to evaluate motor learning and the percentage increase in each block to assess the difficulty of the self-set goals. The findings revealed no significant correlation between motor competence and the difficulty of self-set goals. Nevertheless, higher motor competence was linked to enhanced performance during the acquisition phase, retention and transfer tests. These results suggest that although motor competence is associated with improved motor learning, it does not influence the level of challenge of the goals that children set for themselves.

Are we assessing motor competence? Evidence-informed constructs for motor competence in preschoolers through an Exploratory Graph Analysis

ABSTRACT Motor competence (MC) is conceptually defined as a multidimensional latent construct that covers the proficient performance in motor skills and its underlying mechanisms This study aimed to statistically provide arguments that MC is a network of interconnected constructs, such as FMS, coordination, and its underlying mechanisms, which are responsible for preschoolers’ proficiency in motor tasks. Participated 102 preschoolers (65 girls, M age = 4.22 ± 0.19) who were assessed for the Test of Gross Motor Development − 2nd edition, the Motor Competence Assessment, and the Supine-to-Stand. Data were explored using Exploratory Graph Analysis, using the EGAnet package in RStudio. A four-dimensional structure (61.2% of interactions) comprising tasks of the different protocols was underlined, in which all the nodes presented stable and adequate indexes (≥0.65; TEFI = –2.67). Four dimensions of MC were highlighted, namely Dimension 1, which combined movements for locomotor patterns; Dimension 2, comprising three process-oriented measures of object control skills to project objects; Dimension 3, which comprised of skills which require body coordination to displace body through space; and Dimension 4, composed by object control skills evaluated through product-oriented measures. For a better understanding of MC, the assessment of these different aspects that comprises MC should be considered.

Evaluating basic motor competence in Italian children post-COVID-19 pandemic

Motor competence assessment represents one of the most important topics in the field of motor development and physical education. The present cross-sectional study aims to assess basic motor competence, self-perception and enjoyment during PA in a sample of normal weight and overweight-obese children post covid-19 pandemic. The sample (N= 107, age= 8-9 years old) was recruited from an experimental project in Lecce (Apulia). Motor competence assessment was conducted with MOBAK 3-4 protocol, and self-perception and enjoyment were evaluated with two validates questionnaires. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) has been performed to assess effect of gender and BMI on considered variables. Results from MANOVA showed significant main effect for gender [F(10,93) = 2.353, p= .013, η²= 0,218] and BMI cutoff [F(10,93) = 2.351, p= .013, η²= 0,218]. However, interaction effect was no significant. Moreover, independent t-test highlighted significant differences in catching, dribbling, balancing and object movement according to gender (p< .05), and in balancing, rolling and self-movement according to BMI cutoff (p< .05). Self-efficacy differed significantly between male and female. No effect was found for enjoyment. Further studies should investigate the effect of BMI and factors related to physical activity on motor competence development.

Validity and reliability of motor competence assessment as an instrument measuring fundamental motor skills for 12-year-olds in Indonesia

The research aims to assess the validity and reliability of the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) instrument for 12-year-olds. The validity and reliability test provides a comprehensive framework for objectively measuring motor competence and identifying areas for intervention to enhance motor skill development. The study included 321 participants (156 male and 165 fe-male) from diverse Indonesian elementary school backgrounds. Motor competence assessment involved six test components, each conducted with two trials. Validity was assessed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha, with raw data converted to a scale for EFA. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) & Bartlett Test results and the Sampling Ade-quacy (MSA) measure are suitable for running EFA because they show more than 0.50. The standards for each item were met in the Communalities test by showing an extraction of >0.50 for each item. The MCA instrument proved valid because each test item (variable) firmly attaches to one instrument. Reliability tests, using Cronbach's Alpha, show that MCA instruments are reliable and usable. The Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) instrument demonstrates validity and reliability in measuring motor skills. Ex-ploratory factor analysis (EFA) identifies two main components: locomotor skills and stability and manipulative motor skills. Cronbach's alpha further confirms MCA's reliability. Its effectiveness in various contexts, including physical education and rehabilitation, supports targeted interventions. Understanding motor skill development with MCA enhances tailored approaches for individu-als, promoting physical well-being and performance. Keywords: physical education, motor skill, elementary school, assessment.

Motor competence and compliance with physical activity recommendations in Chilean schoolchildren.

The development of motor competence is thought to be a crucial precursor to raising the trajectory of PA throughout a person's life. The objectives of this study are to determine motor competence and the daily time of moderate and vigorous physical activity of students in 5th and 6th grade elementary in Chile, and to establish whether there are differences in motor competence according to sex and compliance with physical activity recommendations. 368 schoolchildren (M = 11.10 years; 54.3% girls) participated. To assess motor competence, the MOBAK 5-6 test was used. Physical activity was measured using ActiGraph wGT3X-BT® accelerometers. Boys (M = 3.65, SD = 2.14) showed better performance than girls (M = 2.39, SD = 1.80) in Object Control (p ≤ 0.001, PS = 0.67). For Self-Movement, the girls (M = 2.72, SD = 2.14) performed better than the boys (M = 2.40, SD = 1.86); however, there were no significant differences between the two sexes (p = 0.257). Boys (M = 48.4, SD = 22.8) presented more daily minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity than girls (M = 35.9, SD = 16.9), with statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.001, PS = 0.67). About MC according to compliance with the physical activity recommendations, only in Object Control there is a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.001; PS = 0.29) between the students who comply with the recommendations (M = 4.28, SD = 2.12) and those who do not achieve the recommended minutes (M = 2.67, SD = 1.29). By contrast, an analysis of Self-Movement found no significant difference (complies: M = 2.73, SD = 1.97; does not comply: M = 2.54, SD = 2.04; p = 0.408) between the two groups. It is necessary to generate instances that develop motor competence in all its dimensions to promote higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions of a Motor Competence Assessment Digital App

Purpose: To refine a motor competence assessment app prototype, enabling its redesign. Method: Workshops were conducted to inform the prototype development. App’s usability was evaluated on its ability to communicate relevant information to the teachers (n = 9). A “think out loud” protocol was applied by the users. Results: Both workshops refined the app, namely: interface, background, acceptability/feasibility, results, teachers themselves, and effectiveness. Competitor analysis revealed recommendations for the wireframe, visuals, and proposed skills to be assessed. The need to include a demonstration for first-time users, video guidance, and links to more information for each skill was also raised. There was a recommendation on the design brief features and experiences. Conclusions: This study will provide guidance in discovering how digital solutions may shape motor competence assessment. The usability testing process with the teachers provides insight on the essential/desirable features required on these apps, enabling the prototype’s redesign to meet the users’ needs.

Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children's Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test.

The assessment of fine motor competence plays a pivotal role in neuropsychological examinations for the identification of developmental deficits. Several tests have been proposed for the characterization of fine motor competence, with evaluation metrics primarily based on qualitative observation, limiting quantitative assessment to measures such as test durations. The Placing Bricks (PB) test evaluates fine motor competence across the lifespan, relying on the measurement of time to completion. The present study aims at instrumenting the PB test using wearable inertial sensors to complement PB standard assessment with reliable and objective process-oriented measures of performance. Fifty-four primary school children (27 6-year-olds and 27 7-year-olds) performed the PB according to standard protocol with their dominant and non-dominant hands, while wearing two tri-axial inertial sensors, one per wrist. An ad hoc algorithm based on the analysis of forearm angular velocity data was developed to automatically identify task events, and to quantify phases and their variability. The algorithm performance was tested against video recordings in data from five children. Cycle and Placing durations showed a strong agreement between IMU- and Video-derived measurements, with a mean difference <0.1 s, 95% confidence intervals <50% median phase duration, and very high positive correlation (ρ > 0.9). Analyzing the whole population, significant differences were found for age, as follows: six-year-olds exhibited longer cycle durations and higher variability, indicating a stage of development and potential differences in hand dominance; seven-year-olds demonstrated quicker and less variable performance, aligning with the expected maturation and the refined motor control associated with dominant hand training during the first year of school. The proposed sensor-based approach allowed the quantitative assessment of fine motor competence in children, providing a portable and rapid tool for monitoring developmental progress.

A school-based physical activity intervention in primary school: effects on physical activity, sleep, aerobic fitness, and motor competence.

The "Super Quinas" project evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention program to improve physical activity, aerobic fitness, sleep, and motor competence on children in primary school. The experimental group (n = 19) enrolled in a 12-week intervention program (one more extra-curricular activity class of 60 min per week) compared to the CG (n = 19), all aged 9-10 years. Physical activity (PA) and sleep were measured by accelerometry, and aerobic fitness was measured by Children's Yo-Yo test (YYIR1C) during the 1st week (PRE), the 6th week (DUR), and the 12th week (POST) of the intervention program. Motor Competence in PRE and POST intervention was also assessed by the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) instrument. Heart rate (HR, assessed using HR monitors), and enjoyment level were recorded during all intervention program classes. A linear mixed model analysis (i.e., within-subject analyses) was performed. Comparing the EG and CG in DUR and POST, the EG spent ~18 min and ~ 34 min more time in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day (p < 0.001); had ~44 min and ~ 203 min less sedentary time per day (p < 0.001); performed more 44 and 128 m in the Children's Yo-Yo test compared to CG (p < 0.001) and slept more 17 and 114 min per night (p < 0.001). In POST motor competence was significantly better (27%) in the EG compared to CG (p < 0.001). The %HRmax during the extra-curricular classes ranged between 65 and 81% (i.e., light to moderate intensities), and the enjoyment between fun and great fun. Our findings suggest that adding one more extra-curricular activity class of 60 min per week for 12 weeks effectively increased the levels of physical activity, aerobic fitness, sleep duration, and motor competence in children aged 9-10 years.

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

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. 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. 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. 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.

Exploring an Alternative to Record Motor Competence Assessment: Interrater and Intrarater Audio–Video Reliability

The Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) is a valid and reliable circuit-based test of motor competence which can be used to assess children’s skills in a live or recorded performance and then coded. We aimed to analyze the intrarater reliability of the CAMSA scores (total, time, and skill score) and time measured, by comparing the live audio with the video assessment method. We also aimed to assess the interrater reliability using both audio- and video coding on a sample of 177 Spanish children. We found moderate-to-excellent inter- and intrarater video–audio intraclass correlation coefficients for the CAMSA score, time measured, time score, and skill score. Nonsignificant differences were found between video and audio recordings in the CAMSA score, time measured, and time score. Our findings support the rationale that different raters and scoring methods can accurately assess the participants’ motor competence level using the CAMSA Spanish version.

Cognitive CAMSA: an ecological proposal to integrate cognitive performance into motor competence assessment.

To profile the participants using a system of self-organizing maps (SOM) based on their motor and cognitive performance during a dual-task version of the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (Cognitive CAMSA). A total of 169 secondary school students (39.3% girls) volunteered to participate. The original CAMSA, cognitive CAMSA, the Corsi and Digit Span tests were used to assess (a) motor competence, (b) motor competence with cognitive load, and (c) cognitive performance, respectively. SOMs and the k-means clustering algorithm were used to establish the adolescents' dual-task performance profiles. Including decision making based on verbal and visual cues in the original CAMSA significantly increased the participants' total scores but also the time required to complete the test, while the skill score remained unchanged. However, not all the participants showed changes in their performance in the same direction during the cognitive CAMSA. Person-centered analyses by SOMs and k-means clustering identified six performance profiles with variations in the cognitive, motor skill, and time scores (H5 = 146.15, H5 = 102.68, and H5 = 108.07, respectively; all p < 0.01). The cognitive CAMSA was shown to be a feasible field-motor test for assessing motor competence with a cognitive load in an ecological setting. Some of the profiles identified in the SOM approach represented adolescents with similar motor and cognitive performance in dual-task or single-task contexts, although other participants obtained high motor competence in single and dual-tasking while their cognitive performance declined or rose more in dual-task than in single task situations. The cognitive CAMSA emerges as a tool of great potential, applicable in educational and sports environments, to know subjects' characteristics and try to individualize the interventions accordingly with their dual-task profile.

Distinct clusters of movement entropy in children's exploration of a virtual reality balance beam.

Although assessing motor competence is vital to advancing current understandings of motor development and its significance in various fields, no consensus exists on how the construct should be operationalised and measured. Existing approaches to assessing motor competence in children typically involve applying qualitative and/or quantitative scoring procedures in which children's performance is evaluated according to certain levels of assessment-specific task performance dependent upon predefined sets of instructions and procedures. Building upon ecological dynamics as a framework, different levels of motor competence can be identified in children's attempts to coordinate their degrees of freedom while trying to complete the interactive task and environmental constraints. Given the dynamic, nonlinear features of that coordinating process, assessments need to consider the inherit structure of inter- and intra-individual variability in patterns of movement. Against that background, we investigated 7-10-year-old children's (n = 58) whole-body joint kinematics as they freely explored a balance beam in a virtual reality playground. Specifically, we used exploratory cluster analysis to examine the discriminatory capability of utilising joint-specific sample entropy as a window into individual differences in movement coordination that emerged from children's exploration of the constraints embedded in the virtual task. Among the results, three clusters of children with distinct profiles of movement variability emerged, all of which showed heterogeneous levels of repeatability in joint movements in combination with the level of spatiotemporal exploration on the balance beam that could not be explained by between-cluster differences in age and gender distributions. Those findings suggest that entropy from whole-body movements can be used to cluster children into distinct groups with different profiles regarding the structure of movement variability, which can inform new understandings and the development of gross motor competence assessments for children.

Motor Competence between Children with and without Additional Learning Needs: A Cross-Sectional Population-Level Study.

The aim of this study was to examine associations in motor competence between children with additional learning needs (ALN) and typically developing children. This cross-sectional study involved a nationally representative cohort of 4555 children (48.98% boys; 11.35 ± 0.65 years) from sixty-five schools across Wales (UK). Demographic data were collected from schools, and children were assessed using the Dragon Challenge assessment of motor competence, which consists of nine tasks completed in a timed circuit. A multi-nominal multi-level model with random intercept was fitted to explore the proficiency between children with ALN and those without. In all nine motor competence tasks, typically developing children demonstrated higher levels of proficiency than their peers with ALN, with these associations evident after accounting for age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This study highlights motor competence inequalities at a population level and emphasises the need for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to prioritise motor competence development, particularly for children with ALN.

Sources of validity evidence in the assessment of perceived motor competence in Brazilian schoolchildren

Introduction: The judgment a child makes about his/her competence in the motor domain is known as perceived motor competence, a key element in building the child's healthy behavior; a Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC) seems to be a suitable perceived motor competence’s assessment, but its validity needs to be evaluated. Objective: To examine the internal structure, the convergent validity, and the reproducibility of the PMSC. Methods: The sample comprised 187 Brazilian healthy schoolchildren (9.6 years ± 0.8); it was applied to the questionnaires PMSC and the Self-Perception Profile for Children scale. Results: PMSC's confirmatory factor analyses indicated adjustment indexes classified as adequate for a two-factor model; there were satisfactory reliability indices (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.654 and 0.652 for locomotion and object control sub domains, respectively); convergent validity (r=0.41 and r=0.56, p&lt;0.001, for locomotion and object control sub domains, respectively). Conclusion: These results contribute to the accumulation of sources of evidence for the PMSC as a valid tool for perceived motor competence assessment in a local and global context.

“Profiles of motor competence and its perception accuracy among children: Association with physical fitness and body fat”

The main goals of this study were to identify profiles in school-aged children based on actual Motor Competence (MC) and accuracy of Perceived Motor Competence (PMC) and to examine how children with different profiles differ in terms of Physical Fitness (PF) and Body Fat percentage (BF%). The MC of a total of 287 children (51.6% boys, aged between 6 and 10 years-old) was assessed using the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) instrument, and the accuracy of the PMC was measured using motor tasks (standing long jump, throwing, kicking, and walking backwards). PF and BF% were assessed using the 20m shuttle run test and TANITA, respectively. Cluster (C) analysis revealed four profiles, two of which were aligned – high MC-accurate PMC (C4) and low-inaccurate (C2), and two that were non-aligned – high-inaccurate (C1) and low-accurate (C3). Children in C4 performed better on PF and had less BF% than children in C3 and C2.

Construct validation of a general movement competence assessment utilising active video gaming technology.

Introduction: The assessment of children's motor competence is an important concern as physical inactivity has been linked with poor movement quality and aspects of well-being such as low self-esteem. The General Movement Competence Assessment (GMCA) is a new instrument that was developed using active video gaming technology. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the internal validity of the GMCA in a sample of 253 typically developing children (135 boys and 118 girls), aged 7-12years old (9.9 ± 1.6years). Further, a second-order confirmatory factor analysis examined how the four constructs fit onto the higher-order variable of movement competence. Results: Results revealed that the first-order four-construct model of the GMCA was a good fit (CFI 0.98; TLI 0.98; RMSEA 0.05). The second-order confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the four constructs loaded directly onto movement competence. It accounted for 95.44% of the variance which is approximately 20% more than the first-order model. The internal structure of the GMCA identified four constructs of movement competence (i.e., stability, object-control, locomotion and dexterity) based on the study sample. Discussion: Performance trends in the general movement competence assessment support empirical evidence that movement competence improves as children age. Results suggest that active video games have considerable potential to help assess general motor competency in the wider population. Future work may consider the sensitivity of motion-sensing technologies in detecting developmental changes over time.

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

ABSTRACT 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.