Validity of a perceived exertion scale for children: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Child Development

Background:

• Accurate control of exercise intensity is crucial for effective physical activity programs in children.
• Existing methods for monitoring exertion in young children may have limitations.
• The Children's Effort Rating Table (CERT) is a novel scale designed to assess perceived exertion in this age group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Children's Effort Rating Table (CERT) for controlling exercise intensity in young children.
• To determine if children can accurately use the CERT to match prescribed exercise intensities.
• To assess the consistency of CERT ratings over time.

Main Methods:

• 16 children (mean age 9.9 years) underwent three exercise tests on a cycle ergometer.
• Tests included a graded response protocol (measuring heart rate and CERT ratings) and a production protocol (producing work outputs at CERT levels 5, 7, and 9).
• Reliability was assessed by repeating the production protocol.

Main Results:

• Strong correlations were found between CERT ratings and heart rate (r=0.76) and work output (r=0.75), indicating validity.
• Work outputs produced in the production protocol correlated highly with predicted values (r=0.89), though actual output was lower than predicted.
• High intraclass correlation (0.91) between repeated production protocols demonstrated reliability.

Conclusions:

• The Children's Effort Rating Table (CERT) appears to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing perceived exertion in children.
• Children's perceptions of effort, as measured by the CERT, can potentially guide exercise intensity during structured activities.
• Further research is warranted to optimize the use of the CERT in pediatric exercise settings.