Association between Physical Activity and Fundamental Movement Skills in Preschool-Aged Children: Does Perceived Movement Skill Competence Mediate This Relationship?

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research is to examine whether perceived fundamental movement skills (FMS) competence mediated the relationship between actual FMS and physical activity (PA) in Hong Kong preschool-aged children. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: 148 preschool-aged children (43% girls; mean age = 4.52 ± 0.67 years) from five preschools/childcare centres completed all assessments. Actual FMS was rated using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2, whilst perceived FMS was assessed via the Pictorial Scale for Perceived Movement Skill Competence. PA was measured through accelerometry. A bootstrap method was used to assess the potential mediating effect of perceived movement skill competence on the relationship between actual FMS and PA. All mediation models were adjusted for sex and age. RESULTS: Mediation analyses showed that the direct path between actual FMS and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was significant (b = 0.228, p = 0.008), as was the path between MVPA and actual FMS (b = 0.214, p = 0.008). However, perceived FMS competence did not mediate the association between actual FMS and MVPA in the models. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed evidence of reciprocal pathways between actual FMS and MVPA, reinforcing the need to simultaneously target both domains as part of broader developmental strategies, initiated in early childhood. Unlike emergent adolescence, perceptions of movement skill competence do not play a significant role in influencing the relationship between actual FMS proficiency and MVPA in this developmental period.

Associations between fundamental movement skill competence, physical activity and psycho-social determinants in Hong Kong Chinese children.

Associations between fundamental movement skills (FMS), perceived competence, enjoyment and physical activity (PA) have not been widely investigated among Chinese school children. We hypothesised that FMS would be directly related to self-reported and objectively measured PA, and indirectly related to these outcomes via perceived physical and movement skill competence, and enjoyment. Participants were 763 primary school children (age = 9.3 ± 1.7 years; 474 girls) across grades. FMS were measured for a subsample (n = 603) using Test of Gross Motor Development-2. PA using accelerometers was obtained from this subgroup (n = 238). All participating children completed a questionnaire measuring their PA participation, enjoyment, and perceived physical and movement skill competence. Structural equation modelling revealed positive associations between locomotor skills and perceived movement skill competence (ß = .11, 95% CI [.001, .22]), and between perceived movement skill competence and objectively measured PA (ß = .59, 95% CI [.04, 1.14]). Perceived physical competence and enjoyment mediated the association between locomotor skills and self-reported PA (ß = .08, 95% CI [.02, .12]), but not objectively measured PA. Given inconsistent findings for subjective and objective measures of PA, further mediation analyses of the association between FMS and PA may be warranted.