Scheduled for Research Consortium Psychology and Sociocultural Poster Session, Friday, April 15, 2005, 8:45 AM - 10:15 AM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area I


Correlates of Children's Physical Activity, Motor Ability, and Physical Self-Perceptions (Sociocultural)

Bik C. Chow1, Lena Fung1 and Sam Man Sum Lau2, (1)Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, (2)H.K.S.K.H. St. Christopher's Home, Wanchai, Hong Kong

The benefits of physical activity in children are well documented. However, the relationship between physical activity, motor fitness and self-concept is not clear. Whereas some research affirmed the relationship between physical activity with motor fitness (e.g. Okely, Booth & Patterson, 2001, Raudespp & Jürimäe, 1996) and self-concept (e.g. Greene & Ignico, 1995), contradictory evidence refuting its relationship with motor fitness (e.g. Oja & Jürimäe, 2003) and self-concept (e.g. Tardie, 2000) were also available. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between physical activity, motor fitness and physical self-perceptions in Hong Kong school children aged 9-12. Five hundred and forty-five children (285 boys, 260 girls) in grades 4-6 from 7 primary schools completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (Kowalski, Crocker, & Faulkner, 1997) and the 22-items Chinese-version of Physical Self-Perceptions for Children (C-PSPP-C) adapted from Fox and Corbin’s (1989) scale and validated by Chow (2004) in a previous study on Hong Kong school children. Children’s gross motor ability was assessed by the Body Coordination Test developed in Germany by Schiling (1974) which yielded a Motor Quotient score. Effects of gender and age on physical activity, motor quotient and physical self-perception subscale scores were analyzed by means of 2 X 4 ANOVAs. Correlations among those three dependent variables were also obtained. Results suggested that boys were significantly more physically active (F=10.51, p<.05) and had higher motor ability (F=14.12, p<.05) than girls. A downward trend in physical activity was observed for girls with age 10 being the turning point. This pattern was not evident in boys. Younger children (ages 9-11) had higher motor ability than older children. Furthermore, boys had higher ratings in self-perceptions on all subscales in C-PSPP-C, except the physical condition subscale. Significant relationships were found between physical activity and motor fitness in both boys (r=.17) and girls (r=.17). When boys’ physical activity was correlated with self-perceptions, significant relationships (r =.26 to .39) were found for all subscales with the exception of physical strength. In girls, significant relationships (r=.16 to .36) were found between physical activity and all subscales of self-perceptions. To conclude, children's motor fitness and physical self-perceptions are significant correlates of physical activity.
Keyword(s): physical activity

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