Developmental change in motor competence : a latent growth curve analysis

Background: The development of childhood motor competence demonstrates a high degree of inter-individual variation. Some children's competence levels increase whilst others' competence levels remain unchanged or even decrease over time. However, few studies have examined this developmental change in motor competence across childhood and little is known on influencing factors. Aim: Using latent growth curve modeling (LGCM), the present longitudinal study aimed to investigate children's change in motor competence across a 2-year timespan and to examine the potential influence of baseline weight status and physical fitness on their trajectory of change in motor competence. Methods: 558 children (52.5% boys) aged between 6 and 9 years participated in this study. Baseline measurements included weight status, motor competence (i.e., Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder; KTK) and physical fitness (i.e., sit and reach, standing long jump and the 20 m shuttle run test). Motor competence assessment took place three times across a 2-year timespan. LGCM was conducted to examine change in motor competence over time. Results: The analyses showed a positive linear change in motor competence across 2 years (beta = 28.48, p < 0.001) with significant variability in children's individual trajectories (p < 0.001). Girls made less progress than boys (beta = -2.12, p = 0.01). Children who were older at baseline demonstrated less change in motor competence (beta = -0.33, p < 0.001). Weight status at baseline was negatively associated with change in motor competence over time (beta = -1.418, p = 0.002). None of the physical fitness components, measured at baseline, were significantly associated with change in motor competence over time. Conclusion and Implications: This longitudinal study reveals that weight status significantly influences children's motor competence trajectories whilst physical fitness demonstrated no significant influence on motor competence trajectories. Future studies should further explore children's differential trajectories over time and potential factors influencing that change

Long-term effectiveness of a fundamental motor skill intervention in Belgian children : a 6-year follow-up

The aim of this study was (1) to examine the long-term effectiveness of the 'Multimove for Kids' program, a 30-week fundamental motor skill intervention (approximately 1 hour per week) for typically developing children between 3 and 8 years, and (2) to determine the influence of participation in organized sports on motor competence (MC) six years after the intervention. Of the 992 children who took part in the 'Multimove' program, 399 (intervention group: N=228, control group: N=171) were tested again at 6-year follow-up. MC was measured with the Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd Edition. To examine the long-term impact of 'Multimove' on MC and the effect of participation in organized sports a latent growth curve analysis was conducted. After the 30-week intervention, the intervention group outperformed the control group (β=5.57, p<.001). However, when the entire study period, including the 6-year follow-up, was considered, the intervention group made less progress in MC than the control group (β=-0.41, p<.05). Looking at the engagement in organized sports, it was found that years of experience before the intervention had no significant influence on the evolution of MC over time, whereas a positive effect was observed for children’s average sports participation (h/week) during the 6-year retention period (β=0.14, p<.001). Finally, children practicing predominantly object control-oriented sports during retention, obtained slightly better MC scores at follow-up (β=0.01, p<.01). The effect of the 'Multimove' intervention does not have a long-term effect on the development of MC. However, participation in organized sports has a positive influence on MC over time

Differences in weight status and autonomous motivation towards sports among children with various profiles of motor competence and organized sports participation

This study aimed (1) to identify profiles in children based on actual motor competence (AMC), perceived motor competence (PMC), and organized sports participation (OSP), and (2) to examine differences among these profiles in weight status as well as autonomous motivation towards sports. Children's (N = 206; 112 boys; Mage = 10.83 ± 0.92 years) AMC, PMC, OSP, weight status, and autonomous motivation towards sports were measured using validated assessment tools. Cluster analyses identified three profiles with completely convergent levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP and three profiles with partially convergent levels. Children in the convergent profiles with average to high levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP had the most optimal profile, as they combined a healthier weight status with elevated levels of autonomous motivation, while the opposite was true for children with low levels on all three cluster-variables. Partially convergent profiles showed that AMC and PMC appear crucial for weight status, as profiles with relatively low levels of AMC and PMC had the highest weight status, independent of their OSP levels. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of promoting AMC, PMC, and OSP simultaneously to help children in achieving a healthy weight status and being autonomously motivated towards OSP

Public attitudes toward depression and help-seeking

Background: Public attitudes toward depression and help-seeking behaviour are important factors influencing depressed people to obtain professional help and adequate treatment. OSPI-Europe is a multi-level suicide prevention programme including a public awareness campaign. It was implemented in four regions of four European countries (Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Portugal). This paper reports the results of the evaluation of the campaign, including its visibility and effects of the campaign on stigma associated with depression and help-seeking behaviour. Methods: A representative general population survey (N = 4004) including measures on personal stigma, perceived stigma, openness to help, perceived value of help, and socio-demographic variables was conducted in the four intervention and four control regions in a cross-sectional pre-post design. Results: The public awareness campaign was considerably more visible in Germany and Portugal compared to Ireland and Hungary. Visibility was further affected by age and years of schooling. Personal stigma, perceived stigma and openness toward professional help varied significantly across the four countries. Respondents in the intervention regions showed significantly less personal depression stigma than respondents in the control regions after the campaign. Respondents of the intervention region who were aware of the campaign reported more openness toward seeking professional help than respondents who were unaware of it. Conclusion: The OSPI-Europe awareness campaign was visible and produced some positive results. At the same time, it proved to be difficult to show strong, measurable and unambiguous effects, which is in line with previous studies. Public awareness campaigns as conducted within OSPI-Europe can contribute to improved attitudes and knowledge about depression in the general public and produce synergistic effects, in particular when the dissemination of awareness campaign materials is simultaneously reinforced by other intervention levels of a multi-level intervention programme. Limitations: The survey was cross-sectional and based on self-report, so no causal inferences could be drawn

Physical play - How do we inspire and motivate young children to be physically active through play? An international analysis of twelve countries’ national early years curriculum policies and practices for physical activity and physical play

Lifelong movement and physical activity (PA) patterns develop during early childhood. Therefore, educators (teachers and practitioners) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) should provide opportunities to support children’s play, PA, and movement development. The World Health Organization (2019) offers new recommendations for PA, for children under five years. The guidelines do not specify the ways ECEC staff can support PA through play. Therefore, this paper investigates, how physical play (PP) is enacted globally. An international policy and practice analysis of twelve countries, (Australia [Victoria], Belgium [Flanders], Canada [Alberta], China, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK [England] and USA) was completed by analyzing the ECEC curricula and their implementation in different cultural contexts. A content analysis was undertaken by AIESEP Early Years SIG experts revealing that PP was not clearly defined. When defined, it was described as PA, and important for children’s holistic development. The majority of curricula did not state the length/time for PP. Three main strategies for implementing PP were found: a) pedagogical framework; b) active learning methods; and c) motor development. This international analysis highlights the global need for better ECEC staff support in acknowledging and implementing PP to aid children’s overall development, PA and wellbeing

Methods to discover and validate biofluid-based biomarkers in neurodegenerative dementias

Neurodegenerative dementias are progressive diseases that cause neuronal network breakdown in different brain regions often because of accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain extracellular matrix, such as amyloids, or inside neurons or other cell types of the brain. Several diagnostic protein biomarkers in body fluids are being used and implemented, such as for Alzheimer's disease. However, there is still a lack of biomarkers for co-pathologies and other causes of dementia. Such biofluid-based biomarkers enable precision medicine approaches for diagnosis and treatment, allow to learn more about underlying disease processes, and facilitate the development of patient inclusion and evaluation tools in clinical trials. When designing studies to discover novel biofluid-based biomarkers, choice of technology is an important starting point. But there are so many technologies to choose among. To address this, we here review the technologies that are currently available in research settings and, in some cases, in clinical laboratory practice. This presents a form of lexicon on each technology addressing its use in research and clinics, its strengths and limitations, and a future perspective

Differences in Weight Status and Autonomous Motivation towards Sports among Children with Various Profiles of Motor Competence and Organized Sports Participation

This study aimed (1) to identify profiles in children based on actual motor competence (AMC), perceived motor competence (PMC), and organized sports participation (OSP), and (2) to examine differences among these profiles in weight status as well as autonomous motivation towards sports. Children’s (N = 206; 112 boys; Mage = 10.83 ± 0.92 years) AMC, PMC, OSP, weight status, and autonomous motivation towards sports were measured using validated assessment tools. Cluster analyses identified three profiles with completely convergent levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP and three profiles with partially convergent levels. Children in the convergent profiles with average to high levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP had the most optimal profile, as they combined a healthier weight status with elevated levels of autonomous motivation, while the opposite was true for children with low levels on all three cluster-variables. Partially convergent profiles showed that AMC and PMC appear crucial for weight status, as profiles with relatively low levels of AMC and PMC had the highest weight status, independent of their OSP levels. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of promoting AMC, PMC, and OSP simultaneously to help children in achieving a healthy weight status and being autonomously motivated towards OSP

Uni-, multi- of ultisporter? Hoe kan je de motorische ontwikkeling van kinderen verbeteren?

In ‘De sportonderzoeker’ geven we een onderzoeker het woord om zijn of haar onderzoek toe te lichten. Eline Coppens van de UGent / VUB doet onderzoek naar de brede motorische ontwikkeling van kinderen. Kinderen die meer tijd doorbrengen in georganiseerde sport maken een grotere vooruitgang op vlak van motoriek. Sportparticipatie stimuleren van jongs af aan is dan ook een must. Kinderen leggen daar de basis om later in een specifieke sport uit te blinken. Net tijdens de lockdown zou Eline met een hertest nagaan in welke mate kinderen een motorisch voordeel ontwikkelen in diverse sportclubs. Haar verhaal deelt ze in onze podcast

The role of childhood adversities in fibromyalgia: prevalence and relationship to stress reactivity

Eline Coppens, The role of childhood adversities in fibromyalgia: prevalence and relationship to stress reactivity Supervisors: prof. dr. Patrick Luyten, prof. dr. Lukas Van Oudenhove, Co-supervisor: prof. dr. Bart Morlion Dissertation submitted to obtain the degree of Ph.D. in Psychology Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) suffer from chronic widespread pain (CWP). A history of childhood adversities (ECA) has been shown to elevate the risk to develop FM. The prevalence of ECA in FM typically ranges between 16% and 60%. However, it is not clear whether the prevalence of ECA in FM is different compared to other functional somatic disorders (FSS), and whether and how ECA may play a role in the pathogenesis of these disorders. FSS has been associated with dysfunction of the stress response system. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which plays a central role in stress regulation, in particular might be influenced by psychosocial factors such as ECA, and associated insecure adult attachment strategies and impairments in embodied mentalizing. Therefore, in Chapter 1, we investigated the prevalence of different types of (ECA) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) features in female FM/CWP patients compared with patients with Functional Dyspepsia (FD), another FSS, and achalasia, a somatic disease. The second aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ECA and pain severity as well as the possible role of PTSD symptom severity in this relationship. As expected, we found that about half of all FM/CWP patients reported at least one type of ECA. Furthermore, the odds of reporting at least one type of ECA did not differ from the odds in FD patients, but was four times higher compared to achalasia patients. However, the presence or severity of ECA was not related to pain severity. Yet, FM/CWP patients were about 6 times more likely to meet PTSD criteria compared to those with functional dyspepsia (FD) and achalasia. PTSD severity also mediated the relationship between ECA severity and pain severity, despite the lack of a direct relationship between both. In chapter 2, in the same sample of FM/CWP women, we explored possible relationships between both ECA and PTSD symptom severity on the one hand and various indices of psychosocial and physical functioning, on the other. We found that ECA was only associated with depression severity. PTSD symptom severity, by contrast, was highly significantly associated with all indices of physical and psychosocial functioning. Furthermore, relationships among PTSD severity and these indices were mediated by problems with embodied mentalizing, with problems with describing emotions being particularly important. From Chapter 3 onwards, we focused on the neurobiology of FM in relation to psychosocial features typical of these patients. We found a, blunted cortisol responsivity of FM to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) compared with healthy controls (HC) without ECA. FM patients had, however, higher subjective stress levels compared with HCs, particularly at baseline and during recovery from the TSST. In FM patients, ECA was not associated with cortisol or subjective stress levels, nor with responsivity to the TSST. These results reflect a dissociation between subjective and cortisol responses to stress in FM. In chapter 4 we found significantly more difficulties with identifying feelings (DIF), but not difficulties with describing feelings (DDF), in FM patients compared to HCs. We did not find any significant differences, however, in adult attachment strategies or emotion processing between FM and HC. Yet, insecure attachment was related to both the cortisol response and subjective distress in the TSST in HC, but not in FM. These latter findings may be related to the observed hypoactivity of the cortisol stress system in FM and high baseline levels of subjective distress in these patients. In conclusion, high levels of ECA in FM/CWP in combination with PTSD features, but not ECA as such, were related to pain severity. This suggests that the impact, rather than the mere presence, of ECA is of crucial importance in determining the influence of ECA on pain severity in FM/CWP. Indeed, PTSD features were associated with all physical and psychosocial functioning indices. Moreover, these relationships were mediated by problems with embodied mentalizing. Finally, we observed a "crash" of the stress system or attenuated resilience in FM compared with HC. Prospective research is needed in this context to further replicate these findings.status: publishe