Interpreting measures of fundamental movement skills and their relationship with health-related physical activity and self-concept

Abstract

The aims of this study were to determine proficiency levels of fundamental movement skills (FMS) using cluster analysis in a cohort of UK primary school children; and to further examine the relationships between FMS proficiency and other key aspects of health-related physical activity behaviour. Participants were 553 primary children aged between 9 and 12, 294 boys and 259 girls, who were assessed across eight different FMS. Physical activity behaviours included markers of physical fitness, recall of physical activity behaviour and physical self-concept. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify groups based on FMS proficiencies and discriminant analysis to predict FMS proficiency based upon the physical activity variables. This interpretation of FMS performance revealed distinct groups of FMS proficiency in both genders with several gender specific components of physical activity shown to discriminate children with differing levels of FMS proficiency (p < .05, r > .40).

Children’s Physical Self-Concept and Body Image According to Weight Status and Physical Fitness

“…Furthermore, and according to the BMI results in girls, and as was suggested by Hardy et al [14], there is a relationship between skill competence and being overweight, and it seems that in girls this association is emphasized. In this regard, the research developed by Jarvis et al [15] showed that fitness and physical activity levels are more important in girls than boys. Their investigation revealed greater differences in girls compared to boys from 9 to 12 years old.…”

“…In this sense, it is important to note the inverse relationship between movement skills and weight status [13], as well as between weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness [14]. Regarding sex, some studies have not found any association between motor skill performance, physical fitness and body-mass index (BMI) in boys and girls [15].…”

Fundamental Movement Skills and Their Assessment in Primary Schools from the Perspective of Teachers

“…Meanwhile, there are grounds to suggest that failing to acquire FMS at the appropriate age may increase the risk of a child experiencing long-term physical and mental health problems (Barnett et al, 2016 ). FMS deficits are hypothesized to be causal in poor health because they influence a child’s ability to participate in physical activity (Burns et al, 2020 ; Jarvis et al, 2018 ; Logan et al, 2015 , 2018 ; Stodden et al, 2008 ), and low levels of physical activity in childhood are associated with many adverse physical and mental health problems (Ahn & Fedewa, 2011 ; Timmons et al, 2012 ). Suggestion of a direct impact on educational attainment provides another mediating pathway through which FMS may influence childhood development; a recent systematic review (Macdonald et al, 2018 ) found evidence generally in favor of positive associations existing between FMS and educational attainment in reading and mathematics.…”

Hybridizing pedagogical models: A systematic review

“…debates about the learned content and the needs; Ni Chróinín and Cosgrave, 2013); (e) current skills and competences – select, organize and promote the essential elements which will allow students to increase their holistic development (e.g. develop a healthy lifestyle; Jarvis et al, 2018); (f) collaborative and cooperative skills – promote each member of the class’s learning through the help and support of others (e.g. creative and collaborative problem-solving to enhance students’ connections and progression; Tan et al, 2017); (g) global awareness – develop comprehensive knowledge about all the basic skills for a successful performance (e.g.…”