Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
Published on: May 17, 2024
Measuring gross motor skills in African children using the PERF-FIT
Bouwien Smits-Engelsman1,2, Dané Coetzee3, Rosemary Xorlanyo Doe-Asinyo4
1Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation (PhASRec), Faculty Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. bouwiensmits@hotmail.com.
Insights
A new test battery, PERF-FIT, provides culturally relevant motor skill assessments for African children aged 6-12. This tool helps identify motor delays and monitor physical fitness, addressing rising non-communicable diseases in the region.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Motor Development
- Public Health in Africa
Background:
- Africa faces increasing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) linked to lifestyle changes.
- Children with motor coordination delays are at higher risk for obesity and cardiovascular issues.
- Existing motor performance tests lack cultural validity and normative data for African children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the PERFormance and FITness (PERF-FIT) test battery for assessing motor performance in African children.
- To establish age- and sex-specific normative values for motor skills in African children.
- To provide a culturally relevant and psychometrically sound tool for diverse African contexts.
Main Methods:
- Development of the open-source PERF-FIT battery for children aged 6-12.
- Data collection on motor performance from a large sample of African children (n=2604).
- Stratification of normative data by age and sex for robust analysis.
Main Results:
- Generation of normative data for motor skills in African children (n=2604), stratified by age and sex.
- Confirmation of the PERF-FIT battery's reliability and applicability across various African settings.
- Complementary data to previously validated psychometric properties of PERF-FIT.
Conclusions:
- The PERF-FIT test battery is a culturally appropriate and psychometrically sound tool for assessing African children's motor performance.
- It aids clinicians, educators, and policymakers in monitoring motor skill-related physical fitness.
- The tool is valuable for detecting motor delays in children aged 6-12 across African countries.
Background:
Africa is facing a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), driven by shifts in lifestyle and dietary habits. Children with delays in motor coordination are less likely to participate in physical activity, active play, and sports, placing them at increased risk for obesity, reduced physical fitness, and cardiovascular diseases. Existing motor performance tests for school-aged children were not designed for African populations and lack culturally valid normative data.
Methods:
As part of an African-led initiative, the PERFormance and FITness test battery (PERF-FIT) was developed to assess motor performance and motor skill-related physical fitness in children aged 6-12 years. The PERF-FIT test battery is open-source, contextually relevant, and tailored for low-resource settings. This study involved the collection of motor performance data from a large sample of African children to establish age- and sex-specific normative values.
Results:
This study generates normative data for motor skills in African children aged 6-12 years (n = 2604), stratified by age and sex. These norms complement the previously validated psychometric properties of the PERF-FIT, confirming its reliability and applicability across diverse African contexts.
Conclusions:
The PERF-FIT test battery provides a culturally appropriate and psychometrically sound tool for assessing motor performance in African children. It serves as a valuable resource for clinicians, educators, and policymakers to monitor motor skill related physical fitness and detect motor delays in children aged 6-12 years in African countries.
