Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA): Validity, objectivity, and reliability evidence for children 8–12 years of age

Abstract

PurposeThe primary aim of this study was to develop an assessment of the fundamental, combined, and complex movement skills required to support childhood physical literacy. The secondary aim was to establish the feasibility, objectivity, and reliability evidence for the assessment.MethodsAn expert advisory group recommended a course format for the assessment that would require children to complete a series of dynamic movement skills. Criterion-referenced skill performance and completion time were the recommended forms of evaluation. Children, 8–12 years of age, self-reported their age and gender and then completed the study assessments while attending local schools or day camps. Face validity was previously established through a Delphi expert (n = 19, 21% female) review process. Convergent validity was evaluated by age and gender associations with assessment performance. Inter- and intra-rater (n = 53, 34% female) objectivity and test–retest (n = 60, 47% female) reliability were assessed through repeated test administration.ResultsMedian total score was 21 of 28 points (range 5–28). Median completion time was 17 s. Total scores were feasible for all 995 children who self-reported age and gender. Total score did not differ between inside and outside environments (95% confidence interval (CI) of difference: −0.7 to 0.6; p = 0.91) or with/without footwear (95%CI of difference: −2.5 to 1.9; p = 0.77). Older age (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.15) and male gender (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.02) were associated with a higher total score. Inter-rater objectivity evidence was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.99) for completion time and substantial for skill score (ICC = 0.69) for 104 attempts by 53 children (34% female). Intra-rater objectivity was moderate (ICC = 0.52) for skill score and excellent for completion time (ICC = 0.99). Reliability was excellent for completion time over a short (2–4 days; ICC = 0.84) or long (8–14 days; ICC = 0.82) interval. Skill score reliability was moderate (ICC = 0.46) over a short interval, and substantial (ICC = 0.74) over a long interval.ConclusionThe Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment is a feasible measure of selected fundamental, complex and combined movement skills, which are an important building block for childhood physical literacy. Moderate-to-excellent objectivity was demonstrated for children 8–12 years of age. Test–retest reliability has been established over an interval of at least 1 week. The time and skill scores can be accurately estimated by 1 trained examiner.

Associations between perceived and actual physical literacy level in Chinese primary school children

“…The total score of Daily Behavior assessment was 30 points. Physical Competence contained three parts: i) FitnessGram 15 m/20 m PACER (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) [32] for evaluating aerobic fitness; ii) Plank Assessment of Torso Strength [33] for testing musculoskeletal endurance, which is related to back health, the ability to stabilize the body, and the function of both the upper and lower limbs; and iii) the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) for assessing motor competence [34]. The total score of Physical Competence assessment was 30 points.…”

Health, Fitness, Lifestyle and Physical Competency of School Children in Wales

“…In comparison to European sex-and age-specific normative values on over 200,000 grip strength test performances of children and young people aged 9-17 years across 30 countries (Tomkinson, Carver, et al, 2017), girls' and boys' mean grip strength score in the present study were in the 50 th and 40 th centile, respectively. Further, in comparison to international sex-and age-specific normative values on over 1 million 20m MSRT performances of 9-17 year olds from 50 countries (Tomkinson, Lang, Tremblay, et al, 2017), girls and boys achieved a level commensurate with the 40 th and 50 th centile, respectively. Therefore, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength levels of girls and boys in the current study were low to moderate in comparison to international norms.…”

“…Upon further investigation, there was no significant difference in mean outcome or time scores between the test and retest, providing support that no learning effect was present. Since DC total score showed good test-retest reliability over a one-week interval, and all other scores showed moderate-to-good test-retest reliability, with statistics at least as strong as those for other measurement tools (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005;Henderson et al, 2007;Longmuir et al, 2017;Ulrich, 2000;, then the tenet that the DC is a stable measure is supported.…”

“…Recently, the Canadian Agility Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) was developed and validated to assess physical competence in 8-12-year-old children for surveillance, as well as examining movement skills over time (Longmuir et al, 2017). This assessment requires a series of seven movement tasks (two-footed jump, side slide, catch, throw, skip, hop, and kick) to be completed in a continuous dynamic obstacle course to create a more authentic environment and to assess combined and complex movement skills.…”

“…This assessment requires a series of seven movement tasks (two-footed jump, side slide, catch, throw, skip, hop, and kick) to be completed in a continuous dynamic obstacle course to create a more authentic environment and to assess combined and complex movement skills. Performances are assessed using the time taken to complete an obstacle course consisting of 14 process/technique-and product/outcome-based criteria (Longmuir et al, 2017). Whilst this assessment has shaped the way towards assessing movement skills in a dynamic fashion, there are noteworthy design limitations of the CAMSA.…”