Physical activity, motor development and self-concept: race and age differences

Percept Mot Skills. 1978 Feb;46(1):147-54. doi: 10.2466/pms.1978.46.1.147.

Abstract

To investigate the effect of organized physical activity on the development of specific motor skills (body coordination and self-concept) of elementary age children, 344 children from the ethnic origins, black and white, were administered the Schilling Body Coordination Test and the Martinek-Zaichkowsky Self-concept Scale for Children. Motor development (body coordination) and self-concept scores were significantly higher for the group who participated in the physical activity program than for controls who did not. There was a linear trend in motor skill improvement, with Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 showing significantly higher gains than Grade 1. The self-concept scores indicated a significant decline for Grades 3, 4, and 5. There were no significant differences between blacks and whites. A two-way interaction was found between grade and race in motor development, with blacks demonstrating lower mean scores than whites in Grade 2 but higher mean scores in Grade 5. Correlations between self-concept and motor development were non-significant.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Black or African American
  • Child Development*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motor Skills*
  • Physical Education and Training*
  • Self Concept*