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The University of Notre Dame Australia

Children

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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Actual Competence, Rather Than Perceived Competence, Is A Better Predictor Of Physical Activity In Children Aged 6-9 Years, Fleur Mcintyre, Helen Parker, Paola Chivers, Beth Hands Jan 2017

Actual Competence, Rather Than Perceived Competence, Is A Better Predictor Of Physical Activity In Children Aged 6-9 Years, Fleur Mcintyre, Helen Parker, Paola Chivers, Beth Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

There is a limited understanding about the relative importance of perceived and actual competence on emergent physical activity levels in children and whether there is a difference in their development and strength between boys and girls.

This study used a single-cohort, multiple age group design to monitor physical activity, actual motor competence (AMC) and perceived competence (PC) on four occasions over 18 months in 6-to 9-year-old boys and girls (N = 201). Physical activity was measured by 7-day daily step counts (pedometer) and activity diary. AMC was assessed by mastery of skill criteria for 4 motor skills; run, overhand throw, …


Assessment Of Fundamental Movement Skills In Australian Children: The Validation Of A Fundamental Motor Skills Quotient (Fmsq), Beth Hands, Fleur Mcintyre Jan 2015

Assessment Of Fundamental Movement Skills In Australian Children: The Validation Of A Fundamental Motor Skills Quotient (Fmsq), Beth Hands, Fleur Mcintyre

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The development of proficient fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children is important for physical, cognitive and social development, and to establish a foundation for an active lifestyle. Many teachers, coaches and physical activity program deliverers use real time observation of individual skill performances during physical activities to assess proficiency in young children. However, a valid method to quantify these observations to provide an overall motor competence is not available.

Design: A small pilot validation study using the Bland Altman method to compare scores on the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND) and a Fundamental Movement Skill Quotient (FMSQ) (M …


How Fundamental Are Fundamental Movement Skills?, Beth P. Hands Jan 2012

How Fundamental Are Fundamental Movement Skills?, Beth P. Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

If you take the time to observe children playing in a playground you will notice some whose movements are fluid and graceful, who clearly experience the joy of successful movement and feel confident in their actions. Look further and you may notice some less confident children who may be hovering on the sidelines, causing fights with their peers, sitting quietly by themselves on the verandah or even hidden away in the library reading a book. These children find participation in playground games and many other physical activities challenging, tiring and even embarrassing. They are worried they will miss a ball …


The Associations Between Physical Activity, Screen Time And Weight From 6 To 14 Years: The Raine Study, Beth P. Hands, Paola Chivers, Helen Parker, Garth Kendall, Lawrence Beilin, Dawne Larkin Jan 2011

The Associations Between Physical Activity, Screen Time And Weight From 6 To 14 Years: The Raine Study, Beth P. Hands, Paola Chivers, Helen Parker, Garth Kendall, Lawrence Beilin, Dawne Larkin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

To examine the strength and direction of the relationship between physical activity level, screen use and BMI in a cohort at ages 6, 8, 10 and 14 yrs as part of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. The sample comprised 1403 males and females who participated in the follow-up survey at 14 yrs of age between 2003 and 2005. Exploratory structural equation modelling was used to examine the interrelationships between physical activity level, BMI and screen time at 6, 8, 10 and 14 yrs. Predictors of BMI at 6, 8, 10 and 14 yrs explained 1.3, 76.1, 80.1 and 73.1 percent …


Evidence For The Validity Of The Children’S Attraction To Physical Activity Questionnaire (Capa) With Young Children, Elizabeth Rose, Dawne Larkin, Beth P. Hands, Barbara Howard, Helen Parker Jan 2009

Evidence For The Validity Of The Children’S Attraction To Physical Activity Questionnaire (Capa) With Young Children, Elizabeth Rose, Dawne Larkin, Beth P. Hands, Barbara Howard, Helen Parker

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Attraction to physical activity is important to an individual’s intrinsic motivation to engage in play, games and sports. While there are instruments designed to measure attraction to physical activity in middle childhood years, the lack of authentic measures in young children has impeded research in this area.

In this study we sought to address the validity of a scale to tap young children’s attraction to physical activity. Evidence for validity was based on internal consistency, content analysis, and factor structure.

Australian school children (180 boys and 154 girls) from school year two, aged six to eight years, were individually administered …


Physical Activity Measurement Methods For Young Children: A Comparative Study, Beth P. Hands, Helen Parker, Dawne Larkin Jan 2006

Physical Activity Measurement Methods For Young Children: A Comparative Study, Beth P. Hands, Helen Parker, Dawne Larkin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Many behavior patterns that impact on physical activity experiences are established in early childhood, therefore it is important that valid, reliable, and feasible measures are developed to identify children who are not developing appropriate and healthy activity habits. In this study, measures of physical activity derived by accelerometry and pedometry are compared with direct observation for twenty-four 5- and 6-year-old children. The children were monitored for 30 minutes over five consecutive days during a 30 minute free play session in their pre-primary setting. The results for all measures were significantly correlated. When compared to direct observation, the coefficient of determination …


Physical Fitness Of Children With Motor Learning Difficulties, Beth P. Hands, Dawne Larkin Jan 2006

Physical Fitness Of Children With Motor Learning Difficulties, Beth P. Hands, Dawne Larkin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Children with motor learning difficulties (MLD) tend to be less physically active than their coordinated peers and one likely consequence is a reduced level of physical fitness. In this study, 52 children with MLD aged 5 to 8 years, were compared to 52 age- and gender-matched control children across a range of health and skill related fitness components. Analyses of variance revealed significantly lower scores in the group with MLD on the tests for cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, abdominal strength, speed, and power than the control group. Furthermore, the group with MLD had a significantly higher Body Mass Index (BMI). These …


Implementing A Fundamental Movement Skill Program In An Early Childhood Setting: The Children’S Perspectives, Beth P. Hands, Marie Martin Jan 2003

Implementing A Fundamental Movement Skill Program In An Early Childhood Setting: The Children’S Perspectives, Beth P. Hands, Marie Martin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Ample evidence exists about the importance of physical activity for developing and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. As many habits are formed when young, well planned and effective movement programs specifically designed for young children are important. In this paper, the influence of a new teaching resource designed to support teachers in implementing a fundamental movement skill program on the children in the classes is presented using a case study approach. The case studies were constructed with teachers and children in a range of early childhood settings. The impact of the program on the children’s level of confidence, knowledge …


Implementing A Fundamental Movement Skill Program In An Early Childhood Setting: The Teachers’ Perspectives, Marie Martin, Beth P. Hands Jan 2003

Implementing A Fundamental Movement Skill Program In An Early Childhood Setting: The Teachers’ Perspectives, Marie Martin, Beth P. Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

The place of explicit movement skill development programs in early childhood settings is contentious. However given the growing understanding that movement competence is important for maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle (Hands, Parker, & Larkin, 2001), well planned and effective programs specifically designed for young children are important.

In this paper, the influence of a new teaching resource designed to support teachers in implementing a fundamental movement skill program is presented using a case study approach. The case studies were constructed with teachers working in a range of early childhood settings. The impact of the program on teachers’ level of …


Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Discrete Disability, Beth P. Hands, Dawne Larkin Jan 2001

Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Discrete Disability, Beth P. Hands, Dawne Larkin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have a motor learning disability that reduces their ability to interact with the environment and compromises their social and emotional development. Accordingly, these children should be given the extra assistance and consideration given to children with other learning difficulties. Even though many countries have well developed policies to support students at educational risk, children with movement difficulties are not widely considered to be members of this category. This paper argues for a change in education policy and practice in order to better support children with DCD or Motor Learning Disability (MLD). Improved teacher education …