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Improving Early Adolescent Girls' Motor Skill: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Natalie Lander1, Philip J Morgan, J O Salmon
11School of Education, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, AUSTRALIA; 2PRC in Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Education and Arts, Newcastle University, Callaghan, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA; 3Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria, AUSTRALIA; and 4School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria, AUSTRALIA.
Teacher-led interventions significantly improved fundamental movement skills (FMS) in adolescent girls, boosting physical activity potential. This highlights the importance of training teachers for effective school-based health programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Sports Science
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Adolescent physical activity (PA) declines, particularly in girls, linked to low fundamental movement skills (FMS) mastery.
- Existing FMS interventions lack focus on girls and school-based implementation by teachers.
- Low FMS competency in girls hinders sustained PA, necessitating targeted, accessible interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a school-based FMS intervention delivered by teachers for adolescent girls.
- To assess the impact of teacher-led training on girls' FMS competency.
- To determine the feasibility of integrating FMS improvement into school curricula.
Main Methods:
- Four all-girls secondary schools randomized into intervention and control groups.
- 190 Year 7 girls assessed on six FMS (catch, throw, kick, jump, leap, dodge) at baseline and 12 weeks.
- Mixed-effects models analyzed intervention effects on locomotor, object control, and total FMS scores, accounting for covariates and clustering.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in locomotor skills (P=0.04, d=1.6) and object control skills (P<0.001, d=0.83).
- Overall FMS competency showed significant gains (P=0.02, d=1.36) with large effect sizes.
- Teacher-delivered intervention demonstrated substantial positive impact on girls' FMS.
Conclusions:
- Teacher-led, authentic assessment, and student-centered instruction effectively enhance adolescent girls' FMS.
- School-based FMS interventions are viable when teachers are adequately trained.
- Comprehensive teacher training is crucial for successful, sustainable FMS programs in schools.
