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Do We Drop the Ball When We Measure Ball Skills Using Standardized Motor Performance Tests?
Bouwien Smits-Engelsman1,2, Dorothee Jelsma3, Dané Coetzee2
1Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 25, 2022
Summary
This study found that most ball skill tests measure similar constructs like catching and throwing, but aiming tasks are distinct. Performance in these skills significantly improves with age during childhood.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Motor Skill Acquisition
- Sports Science
Background:
- Ball skill performance evolves throughout childhood, influenced by physical, psychological, and environmental factors.
- Standardized tests are used to assess motor proficiency in children.
- Understanding the underlying constructs of ball skills is crucial for accurate assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if different standardized ball skill items measure similar underlying constructs.
- To investigate whether ball skill performance differentiates effectively among various age groups in children.
- To analyze the relationship between different motor assessment tools.
Main Methods:
- Administered four motor assessments to 250 children aged 6-10 years: MABC-2, BOT-2, FTB, and PERF-FIT.
- Utilized correlation analysis to examine relationships between test scores.
- Employed principal component analysis to identify underlying skill constructs.
Main Results:
- Correlations between BOT-2, FTB, and PERF-FIT scores were fair to moderate; MABC-2 showed low correlations.
- Principal component analysis revealed three components: general ball skills (catch, dribble, throw), throwing for distance, and aiming.
- Significant age-related differences were observed, with PERF-FIT showing the best discrimination between age groups.
Conclusions:
- Most ball skill items in motor tests assess a common construct encompassing catch, dribble, and throw skills.
- Aiming tasks represent a separate skill category.
- Throwing for distance is primarily dependent on explosive power and shows distinct developmental trajectories.
