Validity of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children: An Actigraphic Study
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Published on: July 27, 2022
Lorenzo Tonetti1, Alicia Carissimi2,3, Marco Fabbri4
1Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Insights
This study validated the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children using actigraphy. Higher scores on the scale correlated with increased afternoon motor activity in children, supporting its use in physical activity research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Behavioral Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Assessing children's perceived physical ability is crucial for understanding physical activity levels.
- Objective measurement of motor activity patterns is needed to validate self-report scales.
- The Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children requires validation against objective data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide evidence for the validity of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children.
- To compare the scale's scores with objective 24-hour motor activity patterns.
- To establish the scale's utility in evaluating physical activity interventions.
Main Methods:
- 107 children (mean age 10.25) participated in the study.
- Actigraphy (Actiwatch AW64) was used to record 24-hour motor activity for seven days.
- Functional Linear Modeling analyzed the relationship between the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children scores and motor activity patterns.
Main Results:
- A significant positive relationship was found between higher perceived physical ability and greater afternoon motor activity.
- The findings support the validity of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children.
- The scale demonstrates potential as an outcome measure in physical activity interventions.
Conclusions:
- The Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children is a valid measure when compared to objective actigraphy data.
- The scale effectively captures children's self-perceived physical capabilities.
- This scale shows promise for future research on physical activity promotion interventions in children.
Abstract:
This study aimed to provide evidence of the validity of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children against an external-objective criterion of the 24 h motor activity pattern assessed through actigraphy. A total of 107 children (60 females; mean age 10.25 ± 0.48) were originally enrolled. Children wore the actigraph model Actiwatch AW64 (Cambridge Neurotechnology Ltd., Fenstanton, UK) for seven days, 24 h per day, around the non-dominant wrist. At the beginning of the actigraphic recording, participants filled in the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children. Functional Linear Modeling was used to examine variation in the 24 h motor activity pattern according to the total score in the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children. Higher physical self-efficacy was significantly related to greater levels of motor activity in the afternoon. Overall, this pattern of results supports the validity of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children against the external-objective criterion of the 24 h motor pattern. The Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children could represent a promising endpoint for studies assessing the effectiveness of physical activity promotion interventions.
