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Construct Validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen in Grassroots Footballers Aged 11-13 Years
Michael J Duncan1, Matteo Crotti1,2, Ricardo Martins1
1Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK.
Background:
This study examined the construct validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen (AIMS) in children.
Methods:
Following ethics approval, parental consent, and child assent, 87 children (50 boys, 37 girls) aged 11-13 years (Mean ± SD = 12.4 ± 0.6 years) performed the AIMS and Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3) in a counterbalanced order. AIMS tertiles were subsequently created, classifying children with 'high', 'medium', or 'low' movement skills.
Results:
A 2 (Gender) X 3 (AIMS tertile) ways analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for age and age at peak height velocity, with TGMD-3 scores as the dependant variable, indicated that TGMD-3 scores were significantly higher for girls categorised as having a medium movement skill compared to girls categorised as low, and those categorised having high movement skill compared to medium and low movement skill groups (all, p = 0.001). There was no difference in TGMD-3 scores for boys classed as having low and medium movement skills. Boys categorised as high for movement skills had significantly greater TGMD-3 scores than their peers categorised as having both low and medium movement skills (p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
As the AIMS differentiates the theoretically related construct of motor competence, this study demonstrates that the AIMS has construct validity as a measure of movement skill in children aged 11-13 years.
