An adolescent’s motor skill competence can affect areas such as sports participation, social activities, and future academic or employment decisions. The Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ) is a 26-item questionnaire that uses a four-point Likert scale response (never, sometimes, frequently, always) to assess motor-related activities during adolescence. This study aims to provide evidence of the construct validity of the AMCQ using Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and to identify factors that contributed to Australian adolescent self-reported motor competence. A final aim was to determine whether individual item responses differed between males and females. The AMCQ was completed by 160 adolescents (12 to 16 years old, Mage = 14.45 years, SD = .75). The PCA using varimax rotation extracted four factors (Eiqenvalue of ≥1.21) explaining 52% of variance and representing Participation in Physical Activity and Sports, Activities of Daily Living, Public Performance, and Peer Comparison. Overall, males reported higher AMCQ scores compared to females. Females responded negatively (sometimes/never) to all items, particularly those on Physical Activity and Sports and Public Performance. Males who responded negatively had lower AMCQ scores than the females. These findings indicate male and female adolescents may judge their motor competence on different factors, which should be considered when planning physical activity interventions.
Motor Skill Competence Matters in Promoting Physical Activity and Health
