Comparative Study of Fundamental Movement Skills in Iranian Children and Selected Countries of the World: A Cross-Sectional Study

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

Asistant Professor, Department of Motor Behavior, School of Sport Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

10.48305/jrrs.2023.26562.0

Abstract

Introduction: This study was performed to compare the fundamental motor skills of children in Iran and selected countries.
Materials and Methods: In order to make a cross-cultural comparison regarding the motor development of children in the world, four studies from Iran, United States of America (USA), Portugal, and China were included, in which the test of gross motor development-second edition (TGMD-2) was used. After confirming the inclusion criteria and selecting the final studies, the average percentage of children in each region (country/state/island) who had mastered in fundamental motor skills was extracted, compared, and analyzed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Cramer's V statistics, and ratio were used to analyze the data.
Results: There was a relationship between the physical education curriculum guidelines in each country and the number of children who were master in fundamental motor skills in that country. American children’s average level of mastery was more than Chinese (P = 0.009), Portuguese (P = 0.005), and Iranian (P = 0.001) children. Besides, no relationship was found between the most popular sport in each country and mastery of fundamental motor skills related to that sport in the studies (Z < 1.645).
Conclusion: Apparently, the mere existence of a popular sport in a country does not provide the basis for mastering the skills related to that sport; rather, present findings emphasized the need to appropriate, curriculum-based guidance and instructional components along with opportunities and incentives to develop and master basic motor skills.

Keywords

  1. Goodway JD, Ozmun JC, Gallahue DL. Understanding motor development: Infants, children, adolescents, adults. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2019.
  2. Reeves L, Broeder CE, Kennedy-Honeycutt L, East C, Matney L. Relationship of fitness and gross motor skills for five- to six-yr.-old children. Percept Mot Skills 1999; 89(3 Pt 1): 739-47.
  3. Salehi SK, Sheikh M, Talebrokni F. Comparison Exam of Gallahue’s Hourglass Model and Clark and Metcalfe’s the Mountain of Motor Development Metaphor. Advances in Physical Education 2017; 07: 217-33.
  4. Salehi SK, Tahmasebi F, Talebrokni FS. A different look at featured motor learning models: comparison exam of Gallahue’s, Fitts and Posner's and Ann Gentile's motor learning models. Mov Sport Sci/Sci Mot 2021; (112): 53-63.
  5. Gardiner PF. Neuromuscular aspects of physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2001.
  6. Valentini NC. Validity and reliability of the TGMD-2 for Brazilian children. J Mot Behav 2012; 44(4): 275-80.
  7. Payne VG, Isaacs LD. Human motor development: A lifespan approach. London; UK: Routledge; 2017.
  8. Haywood K, Getchell N. Life span motor development. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2019.
  9. Goodway JD, Robinson LE, Crowe H. Gender differences in fundamental motor skill development in disadvantaged preschoolers from two geographical regions. Res Q Exerc Sport 2010; 81(1): 17-24.
  10. Haubenstricker J, Seefeldt V. Acquisition of motor skills during childhood. In: Seefeldt V, editor. Physical activity and well-being, american alliance for health, physical education, recreation and dance, Reston, VA: National Association for Sport and Physical Education; 1986. p. 41-92.
  11. Clark JE, Metcalf JS. The mountain of motor development: A metaphor. In: Clark JE, Humphrey J, editors. Motor Development: Research and Review. Reston, VA: National Association for Sport and Physical Education; 2002. p. 62-95.
  12. Ridgway CL, Ong KK, Tammelin TH, Sharp S, Ekelund U, Jarvelin MR. Infant motor development predicts sports participation at age 14 years: Northern Finland birth cohort of 1966. PLoS One 2009; 4(8): e6837.
  13. Burton AW, Miller DE. Movement skill assessment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 1998.
  14. Okely AD, Booth ML. Mastery of fundamental movement skills among children in New South Wales: prevalence and sociodemographic distribution. J Sci Med Sport 2004; 7(3): 358-72.
  15. Tani G. Leituras em Educação Física: Retratos de uma jornada. São Paulo, Brazil: Phorte; 2011. [In Portuguese].
  16. Hardy LL, Barnett L, Espinel P, Okely AD. Thirteen-year trends in child and adolescent fundamental movement skills: 1997-2010. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2013; 45(10): 1965-70.
  17. van Beurden E, Barnett LM, Zask A, Dietrich UC, Brooks LO, Beard J. Can we skill and activate children through primary school physical education lessons? "Move it Groove it"--a collaborative health promotion intervention. Prev Med 2003; 36(4): 493-501.
  18. van Beurden E, Zask A, Barnett LM, Dietrich UC. Fundamental movement skills--how do primary school children perform? The 'Move it Groove it' program in rural Australia. J Sci Med Sport 2002; 5(3): 244-52.
  19. dos Santos FG, Pacheco MM, Basso L, Tani G. A comparative study of the mastery of fundamental movement skills between different cultures. Motricidade 2016; 12(2): 116-26.
  20. Piercy KL, Troiano RP, Ballard RM, Carlson SA, Fulton JE, Galuska DA, et al. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. JAMA 2018; 320(19): 2020-8.
  21. Lindsay AR, Starrett A, Brian A, Byington TA, Lucas J, Sigman-Grant M. Preschoolers build fundamental motor skills critical to an active lifestyle: The All 4 Kids((c)) Intervention Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17(9).
  22. Zandi B, Farahani A. A comparative study of physical education Curriculum in Iran, USA and Canada. Journal of Motion and Sports Sciences 2009; 6(2): 97-109. [In Persian].
  23. Wong A, Cheung S. Gross motor skills performance of hong kong chinese children. Asia J Phys Educ Recreat 2006; 12(2): 23-9.
  24. Chehabi HE. The politics of football in Iran. Soccer and Soc 2006; 7(2-3): 233-61.
  25. Schwartz N, McGarry T. The NFL is the most popular sport in America for the 30th year running. USA Today [Online]. [cited 2016 Jan 26]; Available from: URL: https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/01/nfl-most-popular-sport-poll
  26. Afonso GH, Freitas DL, Carmo JM, Lefevre JA, Almeida MJ, Lopes VP, et al. Desempenho motor. Um estudo normativo e criterial em crianças da Região Autónoma da Madeira, Portugal. Rev Port Ciênc Desporto 2009; 9(2-3): 160-174. [In Portuguese].
  27. Barnett LM, van BE, Morgan PJ, Brooks LO, Beard JR. Gender differences in motor skill proficiency from childhood to adolescence: a longitudinal study. Res Q Exerc Sport 2010; 81(2): 162-70.
  28. Butterfield SA, Angell RM, Mason CA. Age and sex differences in object control skills by children ages 5 to 14. Percept Mot Skills 2012; 114(1): 261-74.
  29. Okely AD, Booth ML, Patterson JW. Relationship of physical activity to fundamental movement skills among adolescents. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001; 33(11): 1899-904.
  30. Vallence AM, Hebert J, Jespersen E, Klakk H, Rexen C, Wedderkopp N. Childhood motor performance is increased by participation in organized sport: the CHAMPS Study-DK. Sci Rep 2019; 9(1): 18920.
  31. Farokhi A, Alizadeh M, Alvar K, Kazemnejad A, Ilbeigi S. Reliability and validity of test of Gross Motor Development-2 among 3-10 aged children of Tehran city. Journal of Physical Education and Sport Management 2014; 5(2): 17-28.
  32. Ulrich DA. Test of gross motor development 2: Examiner's manual. 2nd Austin, TX: PRO-ED. 2000.
  33. Akoglu H. User's guide to correlation coefficients. Turk J Emerg Med 2018; 18(3): 91-3.
  34. McHugh M. The odds ratio: Calculation, usage, and interpretation. Biochemia Medica 2009; 19(2): 120-6.
  35. Wang JH-T. A study on gross motor skills of preschool children. J Res Child Educ 2004; 19(1): 32-43.
  36. Rimmer JH, Kelly LE. Gross motor development in preschool children with learning disabilities. Adapt Phys Activ Q 1989; 6(3): 268-79.
  37. Jones RA, Riethmuller A, Hesketh K, Trezise J, Batterham M, Okely AD. Promoting fundamental movement skill development and physical activity in early childhood settings: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2011; 23(4): 600-15.
  38. Logan SW, Robinson LE, Wilson AE, Lucas WA. Getting the fundamentals of movement: a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of motor skill interventions in children. Child Care Health Dev 2012; 38(3): 305-15.

McKenzie TL, Alcaraz JE, Sallis JF, Faucette FN. Effects of a physical education program on children's manipulative skills. J Teach Phys Educ 1998; 17(3): 327-41.