Motor Competence, Physical Fitness, Psychosocial, and Physical Activity Characteristics in 9- to 14-Year-Olds: Sex Differences and Age and Maturity Considerations.

Sex, chronological age, and maturity potentially impact multidimensional health-related characteristics (i.e. motor competence, physical fitness, psychosocial, physical activity), which adds to the challenges of reversing current youth health-related concerns. Previous research fails to optimally assess such characteristics and consider sex, age, and maturity among youth. Therefore, the aims were to 1) present the multidimensional health-related characteristics of 9-14-year-olds from the UK, 2) examine sex differences, and 3) account for the effect of age and maturity on such characteristics. Eighty-one girls (mean age = 12.8 ± 1.2 years) and 136 boys (mean age = 13.1 ± 1.2 years) were purposively sampled and assessed across each of the four health-related domains. Multiple ANCOVA analyses examined sex differences among characteristics while accounting for chronological age. Pearson's correlations were used to evaluate the associations between maturity and multidimensional health-related characteristics. Multidimensional health-related characteristics were lower than similar populations and highly variable. Boys outperformed girls on most physical measures (ES = -0.76 to 0.76), elicited greater self-determined motivation (ES = 0.36), greater perceived competence (ES = 0.54), and engaged in more vigorous physical activity (ES = 0.78). Small age effects were present across some characteristics (e.g. isometric mid-thigh pull). Associations between maturity and multidimensional health-related characteristics were different for boys and girls (e.g. maturity offset positively associated with motor competence scores in girls only). Results suggest that multidimensional health-related characteristics of 9- to 14-year-olds are a concern, and are impacted by sex, age, and maturity. Identifying methods to improve multidimensional health-related characteristics which considers sex, age, and maturity are required. Assessing multidimensional health-related characteristics across youth is recommended to inform and measure interventions.

Associations Between Motor Competence and Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Psychosocial Characteristics in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Motor competence is an integral component of the health and performance of youth. Numerous studies support the hypothesis that motor competence interacts with perceived motor competence and physical fitness during childhood to induce positive (e.g. healthy weight status) or negative (e.g. reduced physical activity engagement) trajectories. Yet, while adolescence is a key period of rapid growth and maturation, no systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined the association between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial characteristics solely within adolescents. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (1) analyse the scientific literature evaluating associations between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and/or psychosocial characteristics amongst adolescents; (2) evaluate the associations between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness characteristics and/or psychosocial characteristics amongst adolescents; and (3) investigate the impact of moderator variables (i.e., age, sex, type of motor competence assessment) on the associations. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted, followed by a qualitative synthesis of study methods. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to establish the magnitude and orientation of pooled correlation coefficients between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial characteristics of adolescents, whilst considering potential moderators (i.e., age, sex, type of motor competence assessment). RESULTS: Sixty-one studies were included, totalling 22,256 adolescents. Twenty-seven different assessments of motor competence were used, with 31 studies utilising product-orientated (i.e. outcome) motor competence assessments. Meta-analyses of 43 studies showed that motor competence was positively associated with physical activity (r = 0.20 to 0.26), some physical fitness characteristics (e.g. muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance; r = 0.03 to 0.60) and psychosocial characteristics (r = 0.07 to 0.34), and inversely associated with weight status (r = - 0.36 to - 0.10), speed (r = - 0.31) and agility (r = - 0.37 to 0.41). Associations with flexibility were unclear. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis support the hypothesised interactions of motor competence with physical activity (positive), physical fitness (positive except for weight status, speed and agility) and psychosocial characteristics (positive) in adolescence. However, methodological approaches vary considerably (e.g. variety of motor competence assessments utilised), with limitations of the current literature including an inadequate assessment of motor competence, a lack of longitudinal observations and a failure to account for biological maturation. Future research assessing associations between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial characteristics of adolescents should include longitudinal observations of a combined motor competence assessment (i.e. process and product) and account for biological maturation. Improved evaluation using these recommendations could provide more accurate data, leading to more targeted interventions to improve adolescents' physical and psychosocial outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRD42021233441 (PROSPERO ID).

Youth motor competence across stages of maturity: Perceptions of physical education teachers and strength and conditioning coaches.

Physical education (PE) teachers and strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches are well placed to develop motor competence within youth populations. However, both groups' perceptions of important motor competencies are relatively unknown, especially when considering stage of maturity. Therefore, this study aimed to 1) present PE teachers and S&C coaches' perceptions of motor competence importance according to stage of maturity; 2) compare perceptions of motor competence between stages of maturity, and between PE teachers and S&C coaches; and 3) explore factors that influence PE teachers and S&C coaches' perceptions of motor competence importance. Via a mixed-method questionnaire, 47 PE teachers (professional experience = 10.3±6.6 years) and 48 S&C coaches (professional experience = 8.6±4.8 years) rated the importance of developing 21 motor competencies across four stages of maturity (childhood, pre-peak height velocity [PHV], circa-PHV, and post-PHV) using a Likert-scale (1 = not important, 5 = very important). Participants also provided open-ended explanations for their perceptions. Frequency analysis indicated that participants rated a broad range of competencies important, with S&C coaches rating more competencies important than PE teachers across all stages of maturity. Mixed-model analysis highlighted several differences in motor competence importance when comparing perceptions between participant groups, and between stages of maturity for PE teachers and S&C coaches. For example, S&C coaches rated strength-based motor competencies less important during childhood (d = -1.83 to -0.43), while PE teachers rated them less important during childhood (d = -2.22 to -0.42) and pre-PHV (d = -1.70 to -0.51) compared to other stages of maturity. Codebook thematic analysis showed several factors that influenced participant's perceptions of motor competence importance (e.g., participants understanding of themselves). The findings suggest that multiple environments may be required to adequately facilitate motor competence development amongst youth. Coach education should target misunderstandings around the risks of strength-based activity during early stages of maturity and the benefits of developing strength-based motor competencies across youth populations.

Developing motor competency in youths: Perceptions and practices of strength and conditioning coaches.

Motor competency is integral to the long-term athletic development of youths. Strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches are recommended to deliver motor competency interventions, yet no studies have investigated their perceptions and practices for developing motor competency in youths. Sixty-seven male, and 4 female S&C coaches completed an initial and follow up questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale, rating 1] the importance of developing competence, and 2] how frequently they developed competence across 90 motor competencies. Over 55% of S&C coaches reported a broad range of "important" (69/90) and "frequently developed" (48/90) motor competencies. The most important motor competency was "deceleration" (4.9 ± 0.3), whilst "hip hinge (bilateral)" was the most practised (4.4 ± 0.5). S&C coaches targeted upper body pushing and pulling competencies more than their perceived importance, whilst agility (e.g., turning) competencies were targeted less than their importance. Further analysis showed S&C coaches who delivered 3-4 sessions per week targeted 15-18% more competencies compared to ≤ 2 sessions per week. Overall, these findings have strong implications for youth motor competency development including the reflection of important vs. practised competencies, coach education programmes, and consideration for how S&C coaches should seek to optimise motor competency development within youths.