Normative reference values and factorial structure of the fundamental motor competence in Spanish preschoolers:...

The MOBAK-KG battery is a widely used tool for assessing motor skills in kindergartens. However, no normative data exists for Spanish-speaking children in Spain. The purpose of this study was two-fold: to develop normative reference values for the MOBAK-KG battery stratified by sex and age in children aged 4-6 years and to evaluate the factorial structure of the MOBAK-KG battery. This cross-sectional study enrolled 375 Spanish children (51.5% female). Smoothed percentile for object-movement, self-movement, and total MOBAK-KG scores were calculated using the LMS method, incorporating the γ-lambda, μ-mu, and δ-sigma parameters according to age and sex, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to determine the construct validity. Fit indices and parameter estimates were reported. The MOBAK-KG battery (observable items) that cover the object movement and self-movement motor competencies (latent factors) were consistently higher in boys than in girls and increased across age groups for both sexes. The results confirm the structure of the one-factor model provided the best representation of the data (χ²/df ratio = 1.09, CFI = 0.997; RMSEA = 0.016), and the structure of the two-factor model in all sections of the MOBAK battery also demonstrated acceptable fit (χ²/df = 1.33, CFI = 0.972; RMSEA = 0.036).

This is the first study to provide normative MOBAK-KG data for preschool children in Spain, based on a representative sample from Northern Spain. Our results suggest that the MOBAK-KG is a valid tool to assess fundamental motor competence in children in Spain. These normative data provide pediatricians and educators with objective benchmarks to identify children at risk of motor deficits.

• Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are essential for children's development and for sustaining lifelong physical activity. • MOBAK-KG is a validated tool for preschool motor competence, but normative data and structure have mainly come from German/Swiss cohorts, limiting use in Spain.

• We provide the first Spanish norms for MOBAK-KG (ages 4-6) and confirm its psychometric structure: the one-factor model fits best, while the two-factor (OM/SM) solution remains useful for domain profiling. • We quantified age-related gains and modest sex differences and provided percentile cut-offs to support screening and early pediatric assessment and intervention.