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Towards Identifying a Dosage Effect for Improving Fundamental Motor Skills of Preschool Children with a Mastery

Jerraco L Johnson1, Alexandra V Carroll2, Danielle D Wadsworth2

  • 1Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.

Perceptual and Motor Skills
|May 29, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Mastery motivational climate (MMC) interventions improve fundamental motor skills (FMS) in preschoolers. Intervention length may be less critical than focusing on specific skill mastery patterns for optimal FMS development.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Motor Learning
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Mastery motivational climate (MMC) interventions effectively enhance fundamental motor skill (FMS) competence in preschool children.
  • The optimal duration or "dose" of MMC interventions for maximizing FMS gains remains unestablished.
  • Understanding skill mastery progression is crucial for optimizing intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare FMS competence in preschool children across two different doses of MMC interventions.
  • To describe the changes and patterns of FMS "mastery" within these intervention doses.
  • To investigate the relationship between intervention duration and FMS development.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary data analysis from a larger MMC intervention study involving 32 preschool children (mean age 4.4 years).
  • Fundamental motor skill competence assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development, 3rd Edition (TGMD-3) at mid-intervention and post-intervention.
  • Statistical analysis included a two-way mixed ANOVA to examine group and time effects on locomotor and ball skills.

Main Results:

  • Both intervention groups showed significant improvements in locomotor skills over time, with the MMC group improving faster.
  • For ball skills, the MMC group improved significantly by mid-intervention, while the comparison group improved only from pre- to post-intervention.
  • Running and sliding were the most mastered locomotor skills; overhand and underhand throwing were the most mastered ball skills. Skipping, galloping, hopping, and striking skills were least mastered.

Conclusions:

  • Intervention duration (instructional minutes) may not be the most effective measure for a dose-response relationship in MMC interventions.
  • Focusing on the specific patterns of skill mastery is essential for informing practitioners on allocating instructional time effectively.
  • Tailoring intervention delivery based on skill acquisition trajectories can optimize FMS competence in young children.

Keywords:
early childhoodgross motor skillsmotor competencemotor developmentphysical education

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