Deriving and validating a short version of the Physical Literacy in Children Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Child development
• Physical education
• Health sciences

Background:

• Physical literacy is crucial for lifelong physical activity.
• The existing 30-item Physical Literacy in Children Questionnaire (PL-C Quest) is comprehensive but lengthy.
• A shorter version is needed for practical application in research and education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a short version of the Physical Literacy in Children Questionnaire (PL-C Quest).
• To identify the most indicative items measuring physical literacy in children aged 8-12 years across four domains.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 620 children aged 8-12 years using a digital tablet.
• Items were selected based on an aggregate score of nine indicators, including factor loading, internal consistency, and validity.
• The association between the short and long versions was analyzed.

Main Results:

• A 12-item short version of the PL-C Quest was derived, with selected items covering physical, psychological, social, and cognitive domains.
• Selected physical domain items included speed, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, and movement skills.
• Selected psychological, social, and cognitive items focused on motivation, enjoyment, confidence, relationships, society/culture, strategy/planning, tactics, and content knowledge.

Conclusions:

• The 12-item short version of the PL-C Quest effectively captures essential elements of children's physical literacy.
• This empirically derived short version is suitable for research and practice, offering a more concise measurement tool.