Moving well-being well: evidence and background to the development of the MWBW physical literacy intervention for children

Abstract

Operationalising physical literacy and generating meaningful, measurable empirical research will determine what physical literacy is and how it works. Recent research suggests that Irish adolescents are not displaying the attributes of physical literacy that would see them adopt and understand to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life (Belton et al, 2014). The purpose of this study was to develop from previous work by assessing the current level of physical literacy in Irish primary school children (5-13 years), with an intervention established following data collection and analysis. Cross-sectional data on Whiteheadian physical literacy constructs (Whitehead, 2010), physical activity levels (using self and proxy reports, and accelerometers), anthropometric characteristics, perception of body figure, well-being, and fundamental movement skill proficiency of 2098 children (53% male, 9.17 ± 2.04 years) were collected. Findings indicate that the majority of children (77.5%) did not achieve the fundamental movement skill proficiency expected for their age. Children above population average on self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation scales scored significantly higher on (p < 0.01) the gross motor quotient (GMQ; Ulrich, 2000) than those who fell below the population average. Regardless of their GMQ, children had a poor knowledge and understanding of why it is important to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life. In contrast to previous studies the intervention will not predominantly target low levels of physical activity as a primary outcome but will focus on affecting the constructs of physical literacy. Empirical research is one method of gaining a greater understanding of the concept of physical literacy and examining it helps to identify how a concept can be operationalised. Thus, when this intervention created the research team wanted an empirically supported intervention, yet a subtlety in maintaining the philosophical assumptions of physical literacy. Therefore, the majority of the intervention will follow a structure related with Epstein’s (1989) and Ames’ (1992) TARGET structures, with particular focus on the teachers’ efficacy