Motor skills, attention and academic achievements. An intervention study in school years 1–3

Abstract

The aim was to study effects of an extension of physical education and motor training on motor skills, attention and cognition during a period of three years. The study has two intervention groups (n5152) that have physical activity and motor training one lesson every school day and one control group (n599) that has the school's ordinary physical education two lessons per week. The method is hypothetic-deductive. The results confirm the hypothesis that children's motor skills improve with extended physical activity and motor training. The hypothesis that children's attention will improve cannot be confirmed. Although pupils in intervention groups have better attention in school year 2 than pupils in the control group, the differences do not remain in school year 3. The third hypothesis concerning academic achievements is confirmed by several results in Swedish and mathematics. The MUGI observation programme was found to be useful both as a screening and as a pedagogic instrument.

Fundamental Movement Skill Interventions in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…agreement for all 187 items (percentage agreement 95%, k = 0.84). Seventeen of the 22 studies used measures of FMS proficiency that had published validity, 14,33,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][46][47][48][49]52 and this was the most commonly reported item across the studies. Nine studies met the criteria for adequate retention.…”

“…The sample sizes for the studies ranged from 13 42 to 1464, 34 and 10 studies had a sample size of .250. 34,36,39,40,43,44,48,50,51,53 Risk of Bias Within Studies BCT, behavioral choice theory; CMT, competence motivation theory; CON, control; FMS, fundamental movement skills; FU, follow-up -assessments conducted after the completion of the intervention and the initial posttest assessments; GMQ, Gross Motor Quotient; INT, intervention; K, kindergarten; MUGI, Motorisk Utveckling som Grund för Inlärning-motor skills as foundation for learning; PE, physical education; PT, posttest -assessments conducted after baseline assessments and/or immediately after completion of the intervention; p/y, per year; RCT, randomized controlled trial; RET, retention; SCT, social cognitive theory; SHARK, Skills Honing and Active Recreation for Kids; TGMD-2, Test for Gross Motor Development; y, year; a Facilitator refers to the individual(s) who delivered the intervention. agreement for all 187 items (percentage agreement 95%, k = 0.84).…”

“…40,42,54 Seven studies included followup assessments after a period of no intervention. [35][36][37]39,42,48,51 Ericsson 43,44 did not include an immediate postintervention assessment her but did include follow-up assessments at 1, 2, 43,44 and 9 years 36 after baseline. The sample sizes for the studies ranged from 13 42 to 1464, 34 and 10 studies had a sample size of .250.…”

“…54 The majority of studies were conducted in the United States, 34,37,47,[52][53][54] Australia, 35,42,48,50,51 and Sweden. 36,43,44,49 The majority of interventions were evaluated in primary/elementary schools among children, with only 1 study in high school with adolescents. 39 Two studies were communitybased interventions targeting overweight and obese children.…”

“…39 Most interventions were delivered by physical education (PE) teachers [34][35][36][37][38][39]42,43,44,[46][47][48][49]53,54 or experienced coaches, 45 with some using trained classroom teachers 53 or trained preservice teachers 50,51,52 or PE specialists to help classroom teachers. 40,49 Interventions ranged in duration from 4 weeks 37 to 3 years.…”