Convergent and divergent validity between the KTK and MOT 4-6 motor tests in early childhood

The aim of this study was to investigate the convergent and divergent validity between the Body Coordination Test for Children (KTK) and the Motor Proficiency Test for 4- to 6-Year-Old Children (MOT 4-6). A total of 638 children (5-6 yr old) took part in the study. The results showed a moderately positive association between the total scores of both tests (r = .63). Moreover, the KTK total score correlated more highly with the MOT 4-6 gross motor score than with the MOT 4-6 fine motor score (r = .62 vs. .32). Levels of agreement were moderate when identifying children with moderate or severe motor problems and low at best when detecting children with higher motor-competence levels. This study provides evidence of convergent and divergent validity between the KTK and MOT 4-6. However, given the moderate to low levels of agreement, either measurement may lead to possible categorization errors. Children's motor competence should therefore not be judged based on the result of a single test

Using Rasch modeling to investigate the construct of motor competence in early childhood

Purpose: The present study investigated the dimensionality and homogeneity of motor competence, which is defined as the ability that underlies the performance of a wide variety of motor skills, in early childhood using a large set of items. Method: A total of 1467 children (aged 3-6 years) were measured with the Motor Proficiency Test for 4- to 6-Year-old Children (Motoriktest für vier-bis sechsjährige Kinder [MOT 4-6]), which consists of 17 items. Results: Analyses using the Partial Credit Model and mixed Rasch model revealed a one-dimensional structure (CR = 1.964, pCR = .06; P-χ2 = -.227, pp-χ2=.24). Due to unordered threshold parameters, five items were excluded. These items have a scoring system that counts the amount of successful trials (0-2). Conclusion: The study shows item and person homogeneity within a validated motor score, using 12 items of the MOT 4-6. Thus, it provides evidence of a single latent construct (i.e., motor competence), which underlies the performance of motor skills in early childhood. Furthermore, it shows that counting the number of successful trails may be less suitable as a scoring system in motor competence assessment. Present findings also support the use of validated composite scores in motor assessment

Assessing fundamental motor skills in Belgian children aged 3-8 years highlights differences to US reference sample

AIM: This study aimed to understand the fundamental motor skills (FMS) of Belgian children using the process-oriented Test of Gross Motor Development, Second Edition (TGMD-2) and to investigate the suitability of using the United States (USA) test norms in Belgium. METHODS: FMS were assessed using the TGMD-2. Gender, age and motor performance were examined in 1614 Belgian children aged 3-8 years (52.1% boys) and compared with the US reference sample. RESULTS: More proficient FMS performance was found with increasing age, from 3 to 6 years for locomotor skills and 3 to 7 years for object control skills. Gender differences were observed in object control skills, with boys performing better than girls. In general, Belgian children had lower levels of motor competence than the US reference sample, specifically for object control skills. The score distribution of the Belgian sample was skewed, with 37.4% scoring below average and only 6.9% scoring above average. CONCLUSION: This study supported the usefulness of the TGMD-2 as a process-oriented instrument to measure gross motor development in early childhood in Belgium. However, it also demonstrated that caution is warranted when using the US reference norms

Using Rasch measurement to investigate the construct of motor competence in preschool children

Introduction: One of the most sensitive developmental periods is preschool age, where motor assessments help to describe motor development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct of motor competence, which is defined as the ability that underlies the performance of a wide variety of motor skills (Haga, Pedersen, & Sigmundsson, 2008). In motor tests, a composite score, built out of different motor skills (Burton & Rodgerson, 2001), often indicates this construct. Methods: Using the MOT 4-6 (Zimmer & Volkamer, 1987), data were collected in 1467 children (aged 3-6 years) in Flanders, Belgium. The MOT 4-6 is a frequently used test assessment in preschool and consists of 17 items (3-level categories). Results: Detailed analyses using the Partial Credit Model and mixed Rasch model revealed a one-dimensional structure (CR = 1.964, pCR = .06; P-χ² = -.227, pP-χ² = .24). Due to unordered threshold parameters, 5 items were excluded. These items have the same scoring system counting zero, one or more successful trials, which deviates from the other items. The remaining items attain the requirements of objective measurement provided by Rasch measurement and therefore can be accumulated to one composite score. Conclusion: The study shows item and person homogeneity within a validated composite score for the MOT 4-6, using 12 instead of 17 MOT 4-6 items. Thus, it provides evidence in terms of a single latent construct (i. e. motor competence), that underlies the performance of motor skills in preschool children. Furthermore, it shows that some scoring systems are less suitable in motor competence assessment

Multimove 2011-2014: eindrapport flankerend onderzoek

Multimove wil de ontwikkeling van de basismotoriek bij jonge kinderen op een pedagogisch verantwoorde en wetenschappelijk onderbouwde manier stimuleren. Het proefproject liep van september 2011 tot augustus 2014 in een samenwerking tussen de Vlaamse overheid, VSF, ISB en de universiteiten met een opleiding Lichamelijke Opvoeding en Bewegingswetenschappen (UGent, VUB en KU Leuven). Deze laatsten voerden het flankerend onderzoek naar de motoriek van de Vlaamse jonge kinderen, de invloed van een breed en gevarieerd bewegingsaanbod op hun motorische vaardigheden, en de kennis over en attitude ten opzichte van gevarieerd bewegen bij de ouders. In dit onderzoek werd vastgesteld dat onze kinderen tussen 3 en 8 jaar een significante achterstand hebben opgelopen op het vlak van hun motorische vaardigheden ten opzichte van hun leeftijdsgenoten van 30 jaar geleden. Dit probleem wordt nog erger naarmate ze ouder worden. Aangezien 3-8 jaar ook de cruciale leeftijd is om motorische vaardigheden te ontwikkelen, wordt het daarna steeds moeilijker om de achterstand bij te werken. Tijdens de experimentele fase werden bij aanvang 1607 kinderen getest tussen 3 en 8 jaar. Na 8 maanden werd opnieuw een meting uitgevoerd. Hieruit bleek dat de Multimove groep er significant op vooruitging, terwijl kinderen uit een controlegroep in een klassiek bewegingsaanbod eerder op hetzelfde niveau bleven hangen. Bovendien bleek de Multimovegroep nauw aan te sluiten bij het ontwikkelingstempo van hun leeftijdsgenoten van 30 jaar terug, terwijl de controlegroep een significante achterstand vertoonde. Uit de retentietest die na de zomervakantie werd afgenomen, blijkt dat de vooruitgang in de motorische competentie stabiel blijft. De kinderen blijven op hetzelfde niveau als na het beëindigen van de lessenreeks (30 lessen) Multimove. Multimove bevordert de motorische ontwikkeling van onze jonge kinderen significant. Er kan gesteld worden dat een programma als Multimove nodig is om een kind zijn of haar normale motorische ontwikkeling door te laten maken. Een éénmalige deelname aan een Multimove lessenreeks blijkt onvoldoende. Er dient gewerkt te worden naar blijvende initiatieven en een permanente attitudeverandering ten aanzien van gevarieerd bewegen. Dit betekent echter niet dat Multimove nu plots alle klassieke bewegingsvormen moet vervangen... Wel dat dit minstens een zeer waardevolle aanvulling is. Een van de factoren waarop kan worden ingegrepen is het niveau van kennis en attitude van de personen in de onmiddellijke omgeving van het kind, in de eerste plaats de ouders. Het niveau van de kennis en attitude van de ouders ten aanzien van voldoende en gevarieerd beweging kan als meer dan aanvaardbaar worden beschouwd. Opvallend is wel dat er op vlak van kennis rond dit topic betere scores werden gemeten bij de ouders van kinderen uit het interventieprogramma in vergelijking met de controlegroep. Aangezien deze studie in een natuurlijke setting werd uitgevoerd dienden de ouders zelf de stap te zetten om in het programma te stappen. Mogelijks zijn het net de ouders die bewust zijn van het belang van voldoende en gevarieerd bewegen die ook effectief hun kind(eren) inschrijven in Multimove. Globaal gezien zijn er op vlak van kennis en attitude op een aantal aspecten iets betere scores telkens in het voordeel van de ouders van wie de kinderen effectief in het Multimove programma stapten.nrpages: 86status: publishe

The Multimove for Kids Project: Evaluation of Parents' Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior With Regard to Varied and Adequate Movement Opportunities

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Validity and reliability of the ‘multimove for kids’ questionnaire for parents assessing their knowledge, attitude and behavior concerning broad motor development of their children

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The effectiveness of Multimove: a fundamental motor skill intervention for typically developing young children

Objective: The development of motor competence in early childhood substantially contributes to successful engagement in sports and other physical activities. In view of the decreasing levels of physical activity and motor skills in children over the past decades, an appropriate assessment and monitoring of motor competence in early childhood is invaluable, for both research and practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the convergent validity between two motor competence assessment tools: the Körperkoordinations Test für Kinder (KTK) and the Motoriktest für Vier- bis Sechsjährige Kinder (MOT 4-6). Methods and results: Five hundred and thirty 5- and 6- year-old children (277 ♂ and 253 ♀; mean age = 5.95; SD = 0.57) were tested by practiced assessors on the KTK and MOT 4-6 during the same day. From the raw scores, a Motor Quotient was calculated based on normative data of the KTK and MOT 4-6. A Pearson correlation demonstrated a moderately strong positive association between KTK Motor Quotient and MOT 4-6 Motor Quotient (r = 0.605). Crosstabs showed a fair level of agreement between the two tests (K = 0.313; p < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings show that some evidence of convergent validity between KTK and MOT 4-6 is provided in present study. However, because of the low level of agreement between KTK and MOT 4-6, practitioners and/or clinicians need to be aware of possible categorisation errors when using the KTK or MOT 4-6 test to detect motor impairments

The effectiveness of a community-based fundamental motor skill intervention in children aged 3-8 years: Results of the "Multimove for Kids" project.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a 30-week fundamental motor skill program in typically developing young children and to investigate possible sex differences. DESIGN: A multicenter quasi experimental design was set up for this study which involved 992 children aged 3-8 years. METHODS: All participants received their typical Physical Education curriculum and habitual movement activities. The intervention group (n=523; 53.5% boys) received a weekly 60-min motor skill session provided by trained local instructors in existing child settings; the control group (n=469; 49.7% boys) received no additional practice. Fundamental motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd Edition before and after the intervention. To assess the effect of the intervention and possible sex differences, hierarchical linear regressions analyses were conducted for locomotor and object control gain scores. RESULTS: The intervention group demonstrated a higher gain in both locomotor (β=3.78, SE=1.08, p<0.001) and object control (β=4.46, SE=1.06, p<0.001) skills than the control group. Girls demonstrated a lower gain in object control skills (β=-3.50, SE=0.49, p<0.001) and higher gain in locomotor skills (β=1.01, SE=0.44, p=0.022) than boys, regardless of group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of a wide-scale community-based intervention in typically developing children. The sex differences reported may indicate the need to use different pedagogical and instructional strategies to enable boys and girls to develop and master a wide range of motor skills.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: The effectiveness of a community-based fundamental motor skill intervention in children aged 3–8 years: Results of the “Multimove for Kids” project journaltitle: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2016.07.005 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Using Rasch modeling to investigate the construct of motor competence in early childhood

Purpose: The present study investigated the dimensionality and homogeneity of motor competence, which is defined as the ability that underlies the performance of a wide variety of motor skills, in early childhood using a large set of items. Method: A total of 1467 children (aged 3-6 years) were measured with the Motor Proficiency Test for 4- to 6-Year-old Children (Motoriktest für vier- bis sechsjährige Kinder [MOT 4-6]), which consists of 17 items. Results: Analyses using the Partial Credit Model and mixed Rasch model revealed a one dimensional structure (CR = 1.964, pCR = .06; P-Ï Â² = -.227, pP-Ï Â² = .24). Due to unordered threshold parameters, five items were excluded. These items have a scoring system that counts the amount of successful trials (0-2). Conclusion: The study shows item and person homogeneity within a validated motor score, using 12 items of the MOT 4-6. Thus, it provides evidence of a single latent construct (i.e., motor competence), which underlies the performance of motor skills in early childhood. Furthermore, it shows that counting the number of successful trails may be less suitable as a scoring system in motor competence assessment. Present findings also support the use of validated composite scores in motor assessment.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Using Rasch modeling to investigate the construct of motor competence in early childhood journaltitle: Psychology of Sport and Exercise articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2016.03.001 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe