Influence of a motor skill intervention on fundamental motor skill development of disadvantaged preschool children

Abstract

The influence of a 12-week (24, 45-min motor sessions) motor skill intervention on fundamental motor skill (FMS) development of disadvantaged preschools was examined. Pre-and postintervention measures of the object control (OC) and locomotor subscales of the Test of Gross Motor Development were obtained for both groups. Prior to the intervention, developmental delays in FMS were reported. Two separate 2 x 2 (Group x Pre-Postintervention) analyses of variance with repeated measures yielded a significant Group x Pre-Postintervention interaction for locomotor, F(1, 57) = 134.23, p = .000, h2 = .70, and OC, F(1, 57) = 161.55, p = .000, h2 = .74) skills. Compared to the Control group, the motor skill intervention group revealed significant higher locomotor and OC scores following the intervention than prior to the intervention.