School Children’s Physical Activity, Motor Competence, and Corresponding Self-Perception: A Longitudinal Analysis of Reciprocal Relationships

BACKGROUND: The relationship between engagement in physical activity and the development of motor competence (MC) is considered to be reciprocal and dynamic throughout childhood and adolescence. The 10-month follow-up study aimed to explore this reciprocal relationship and investigated whether the relationship is mediated by the corresponding self-perception of MC (PMC). METHODS: A total of 51 children aged between 10 and 11 years (M = 10.27 [0.45]) participated in the study (52.9% boys, 47.1% girls). As an indicator for physical activity, the average vigorous physical activity (VPA) per day was measured by ActiGraph accelerometers. Two aspects of MC and PMC were recorded: self-movement and object movement. Saturated pathway models in a cross-lagged panel design with 2 measurement points were analyzed. RESULTS: Reciprocal and direct relationships between VPA and MC object movement respectively MC self-movement were not found in longitudinal analyses with PMC as a mediator. Indirect effects of MC at t1 on VPA at t2 via PMC were identified (self-movement: β = 0.13, 95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.26; object movement: β = 0.14, 95% confidence interval, 0.01 to 0.49). CONCLUSION: The results highlight the importance of MC and PMC in promoting children's VPA. However, VPA does not drive the development of MC.