School-Age Children’s Actual Motor Competence and Perceived Physical Competence : A 3-Yr Follow-up

Abstract

Purpose This study examined school-aged children’s actual motor competence (MC) and perceived physical competence (PC) over three years along with the covariate effects of gender and body mass index (BMI).

Methods Participants were 1 121 (girls 573, boys 548) children (Mage 11.26 ± .32) from 35 randomly selected public schools across Finland. MC was assessed using three movement tests targeting locomotor, stability, and object control skills, and PC was assessed using the sport competence subscale of the Physical Self-Perception Profile via four-phase monitoring.

Results MC and PC remained stable over time. Of the three variables, locomotor skills showed the strongest association with PC. Lower BMI was associated with advanced MC skills and a less steep decrease in locomotor and stability skills over time.

Conclusions The acquisition of fundamental motor skills in childhood and early adolescence is a prerequisite for enhancing MC and PC. The contribution of locomotor skills to PC indicated that versatile lower limb strength, speed, dynamic balance, and movement skills are important for positive subjective beliefs about PC capability. Increasing the MC skills of the children in most need, particularly those with high BMI scores, merits special attention.