scholarly journals Is It Possible to Reduce the Relative Age Effect through an Intervention on Motor Competence in Preschool Children?

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 386
Author(s):  
Marcos Mecías-Calvo ◽  
Víctor Arufe-Giráldez ◽  
Miguel Cons-Ferreiro ◽  
Rubén Navarro-Patón

The purpose of the study was to find out whether a short 6-week intervention on motor competence can reduce the Relative Age Effect (RAE) of preschool children born in the first quarter, compared to those born in the fourth quarter of the same year. Seventy-six preschool children (5.20 ± 0.54 years) from Lugo (Spain) participated. A quasi-experimental pre-post-test design was used with an intervention group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 44). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was used to collect data before and after the intervention. The data show that, before the intervention, there are significant differences between the control and the intervention group in favor of the former (born in the first quarter of the year) in manual dexterity (p = 0.011), balance (p = 0.002), total test score (p = 0.008), and total percentile score (p = 0.010). After the application of the specific intervention, statistically significant differences were found in aiming and catching (p < 0.001), balance (p = 0.022), total test score (p = 0.001), and total percentile score (p < 0.001) in favor of the intervention group (born in the last quarter of the year). The results obtained suggest that the application of a specific intervention on MC could positively influence the improvement of MC in preschool children (boys and girls) and reduce the differences produced by the RAE.

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Rubén Navarro-Patón ◽  
Marcos Mecías-Calvo ◽  
José Eugenio Rodríguez Fernández ◽  
Víctor Arufe-Giráldez

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a Relative Age Effect (RAE) exists in motor competence of preschool children. The hypothesis was that motor competence, assessed by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), would be higher in preschool children born in the first quarter of the year compared to those who were born in the last quarter of the same year. A total of 360 preschool children were evaluated of whom 208 (57.8%) were boys and 152 (42.8%) were girls, with a mean age of 4.52 years old (± 0.50). The distribution of the participants was 172 children aged 4 years old and 188 aged 5 years old. The data showed a main effect on the age factor in the total score of aiming and catching (p < 0.001) and in the total test score (p < 0.001), in the quarter of birth factor in all the dimensions studied (i.e., total score of manual dexterity (p < 0.001); total score of aiming and catching (p = 0.001); total score of balance (p < 0.001); total test score (p < 0.001)) and in the interaction between both factors (i.e., total score of manual dexterity (p = 0.005); total score of aiming and catching (p = 0.002); total score of balance (p < 0.001); total test score (p < 0.001)). Age and quarter of birth produce a RAE in 4 and 5-year-old preschool children’s motor competence.


Author(s):  
Rubén Navarro-Patón ◽  
Joaquín Lago-Ballesteros ◽  
Víctor Arufe-Giráldez ◽  
Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez ◽  
Carlos Lago-Fuentes ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences on motor competence between 5-year-old boys and girls and to investigate the existence of Relative Age Effect (RAE) on their motor competence. A total of 232 preschool children were evaluated of whom 134 (57.8%) were boys and 98 (42.2%) were girls. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was used to collect data. The data show a main effect on gender factor; there was a main effect in total score of manual dexterity (MD; p = 0.010), in total score of balance (Bal; p < 0.001), in total test score (TTS; p < 0.001), and in total percentile score (TPS, p < 0.001). In the semester of birth factor, there were differences in aiming and catching (A&C, p < 0.001), in Bal (p = 0.029) and in total percentile score (TPS, p = 0.010). Girls perform better in MD, Bal, TTS, and TPS than boys. Preschool children born in the first semester obtain, in general, a higher percentage and a higher percentile than their peers born in the second one. RAE is present in A&C, Bal, and TPS, with higher scores obtained by preschool children born in the first semester compared to those born in the second one.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Rubén Navarro-Patón ◽  
Víctor Arufe-Giráldez ◽  
Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez ◽  
Marcos Mecías-Calvo

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences on motor competence between boys and girls aged 4 years old and investigate the existence of Relative Age Effect on their motor competence. In total, 132 preschool children were evaluated, of whom 60 (45.50%) were girls and 72 (54.5%) were boys. The distribution of the participants was from quarter 1 [n = 28 (21.2%)], quarter 2 [n = 52 (39.4%)], quarter 3 [n = 24 (18.2%)], and quarter 4 [(n = 28 (21.2%)], respectively. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was used to collect the data. The data show the main effects on quarter of birth factor in manual dexterity (MD; p < 0.001), in aiming and catching (A&C; p < 0.001), in balance (Bal; p < 0.001) and in total test score (TTS; p < 0.001). There are also statistical differences on gender factor in MD (p < 0.001) and in TTS (p = 0.031). A significant effect was also found in the interaction between two factors (gender and quarter of birth) in MD (p < 0.001), A&C (p < 0.001), and Bal (p < 0.001). There are differences in all the variables studied according to the quarter of birth and only in manual dexterity and in the total score if compared according to gender (the scores are higher in girls).


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 340
Author(s):  
Marcos Mecías-Calvo ◽  
Carlos Lago-Fuentes ◽  
Víctor Arufe-Giráldez ◽  
Rubén Navarro-Patón

The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate the presence of preschool children with severe motor difficulties (SMDs) and (2) to evaluate the existence of differences in the motor competence (MC) of preschool children from public and private schools based on gender. A total of 581 preschool children (4.66 ± 0.52 years) from Galicia (Spain) were assessed. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was used to collect the data. Preschool children from public schools presented a greater number of SMDs (OR = 20.65; CI = 9.99–85.53; p < 0.001). Preschool children from private schools have higher scores on the variables studied (for example, manual dexterity (p < 0.001), aiming and catching (p < 0.001), balance (p < 0.001), total test score (p < 0.001), and total percentage score (p < 0.001)). Regarding the gender factor, differences were found in manual dexterity (p < 0.001), aiming and catching (p = 0.014), balance (p < 0.001), total test score (p < 0.001), total percentage score (p < 0.001), and in the interaction of both factors in balance (p < 0.001), total global score (p = 0.004), and total percentage score (p < 0.001). Preschool children from private schools are less likely to have severe movement problems and score higher on all dimensions of the MABC-2 than preschool children from public schools analyzed in this study. Likewise, girls score higher than boys in all dimensions, except in aiming and catching.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1936
Author(s):  
Rubén Navarro-Patón ◽  
Juan Luis Martín-Ayala ◽  
Mariacarla Martí González ◽  
Alba Hernández ◽  
Marcos Mecías-Calvo

The objective of this research was to analyze the impact of an intervention program performed by a specialist in physical education (PE) to contribute to the development of motor competence (MC) in pre-school children with motor development problems. The sample consisted of 28 children (12 from the intervention group and 16 from the control group) aged between 4.1 and 5.9 years (mean = 4.71 ± 0.54) who were in the fifth and sixth grades of pre-school education in two schools from Lugo, Spain. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was used for data collection. The data revealed that, in the pre- and post-test intervention groups, there are statistically significant differences in manual dexterity (p < 0.001; d = 2.63), aiming and catching (p < 0.002; d = 1.13), balance (p < 0.001; d = 1.68), total test score (p < 0.001; d = 3.30) and total percentile score (p < 0.001; d = 1.88). Between the control and intervention post-test groups, significant differences were found in manual dexterity (p = 0.015; η2 = 0.22), aiming and catching (p = 0.003; η2 = 0.32), balance (p = 0.050; η2 = 0.15), total test score (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.47) and total percentile score (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.48). Based on the results obtained, a specific MC program implemented by a PE specialist contributed to the improvement of manual dexterity, aiming and catching and balance, as well as a better percentile in the general MC of pre-school children diagnosed with motor skill problems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (13) ◽  
pp. 1506-1515
Author(s):  
Rocío Cupeiro ◽  
Miguel A. Rojo-Tirado ◽  
Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez ◽  
Enrique G. Artero ◽  
Ana B. Peinado ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2S) ◽  
pp. 521 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Mat-Rasid ◽  
M.R. Abdullah ◽  
H Juahir ◽  
R.M. Musa ◽  
A.B.H.M. Maliki ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon J. Roberts ◽  
Lynne M. Boddy ◽  
Stuart J. Fairclough ◽  
Gareth Stratton

The aims of this study were firstly to examine whether there was an observed relative age effect in the cardiorespiratory fitness scores of 9-10 and 11-12 year old children, and secondly whether any observed effect was maintained after controlling for somatic maturity. Cardiorespiratory fitness data from 11,404 children aged 9-10 years and 3,911 children aged 11-12 years were obtained from a large cross-sectional field-based fitness testing program. A one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant relative age effect (p < .01) existed in the 20mSRT scores across all the age groups. Furthermore, ANCOVA analyses identified a statistically significant relative age effect was maintained after controlling for somatic maturation (p < .05). From a public health perspective these results confirm the existence of relative age effects for the first time and consequently may hold implications for relatively younger children in the accurate assessment of their cardiorespiratory fitness scores.


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