Change, stability and prediction of gross motor co-ordination in Portuguese children

• Published in: Annals of human biology Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 201 - 211
• Main Authors: Antunes, António M., Maia, José A., Gouveia, Élvio R., Thomis, Martine A., Lefevre, Johan A., Teixeira, Alexandra Q., Freitas, Duarte L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 03.05.2016
• Subjects: Biological maturation; Child; Child Development - physiology; Child, Preschool; children; co-ordination; Confidence Intervals; Exercise - physiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Motor Activity - physiology; Portugal; skills; tracking; skills; Biological maturation; children; co-ordination; tracking
• ISSN: 0301-4460; 1464-5033; 1464-5033
• DOI: 10.3109/03014460.2015.1058419

Background: The knowledge about intra- and inter-individual variation can stimulate attempts at description, interpretation and prediction of motor co-ordination (MC). Aim: To analyse change, stability and prediction of motor co-ordination (MC) in children. Subjects and methods: A total of 158 children, 83 boys and 75 girls, aged 6, 7 and 8 years, were evaluated in 2006 and re-evaluated in 2012 at 12, 13 and 14 years of age. MC was assessed through the Kiphard-Schilling's body co-ordination test and growth, skeletal maturity, physical fitness, fundamental motor skills (FMS), physical activity and socioeconomic status (SES) were measured and/or estimated. Results: Repeated-measures MANOVA indicated that there was a significant effect of group, sex and time on a linear combination of the MC tests. Univariate tests revealed that group 3 (8-14 years) scored significantly better than group 1 (6-12 years) in all MC tests and boys performed better than girls in hopping for height and moving sideways. Scores in MC were also higher at follow-up than at baseline. Inter-age correlations for MC were between 0.15-0.74. Childhood predictors of MC were growth, physical fitness, FMS, physical activity and SES. Biological maturation did not contribute to prediction of MC. Conclusion: MC seemed moderately stable from childhood through adolescence and, additionally, inter-individual predictors at adolescence were growth, FMS, physical fitness, physical activity and SES.