Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

SAGE Publications, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1(125), p. 21-39, 2018

DOI: 10.1177/0031512517744471

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Biocultural Predictors of Motor Coordination Among Prepubertal Boys and Girls

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

This study aimed to predict motor coordination from a matrix of biocultural factors for 173 children (89 boys, 84 girls) aged 7–9 years who were assessed with the Körperkoordinationtest für Kinder test battery. Socioeconomic variables included built environment, area of residence, mother’s educational level, and mother’s physical activity level (using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire [short version]). The behavioral domain was marked by participation in organized sports and habitual physical activity measured by accelerometers ( ActiGraph GT1M). Indicators of biological development included somatic maturation and body mass index. Among males, the best logistic regression model to explain motor coordination (Nagelkerke R2 = 50.8; χ2 = 41.166; p < .001) emerged from age-group (odds ratio [OR]: 0.007–0.065), late maturation (OR = 0.174), normal body weight status (OR = 0.116), mother’s educational level (OR = 0.129), and urban area of residence (OR = 0.236). Among girls, the best logistic regression to explain motor coordination (Nagelkerke R2 = 40.8; χ2 = 29.933; p < .01) derived from age (OR: 0.091–0.384), normal body mass index (OR = 0.142), participation in organized sport (OR = 0.121), and mother’s physical activity level (OR = 0.183). This sex-specific, ecological approach to motor coordination proficiency may help promote physical activity during prepubertal years through familiar determinants.