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Preschool children's motor development and self-concept
B H Boucher1, S M Doescher, A I Sugawara
1Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-5106.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|February 1, 1993
Summary
Preschool children's motor age is influenced by their chronological age and their belief in their abilities. However, motor skills and age do not significantly impact how competent children feel.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Motor Development
- Psychology
Background:
- Understanding factors influencing motor development in early childhood is crucial.
- Perceived competence is a key psychological construct in preschoolers.
- The interplay between motor skills and self-perception requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationships among chronological age, motor age, and perceived competence in preschool children.
- To identify predictors of motor age and perceived competence in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Peabody Motor Developmental Scales to assess motor age.
- Employed the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for perceived competence.
- Conducted stepwise regression analyses on data from 31 preschool children.
Main Results:
- Chronological age was the primary significant predictor of motor age.
- Perceived competence also significantly contributed to motor age, following chronological age.
- Neither chronological age nor motor age significantly predicted perceived competence.
Conclusions:
- Motor development in preschoolers is associated with both chronological age and perceived competence.
- Perceived competence appears to be independent of chronological age and motor age in this sample.
- Further research is needed to understand the developmental trajectory of perceived competence in early childhood.