Validation of an Observation Instrument to Assess Students’ Motor Competence
Supporting Agencies
- This study is part of a project funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Universities (PID2024-156274NB-C22 by the MICIU /AEI/10.13039/501100011033 / FEDER, UE).
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop a shortened version of the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3), one of the most widely used assessments of gross motor competence worldwide, and to examine its validity, inter-rater reliability, and the reliability of the observation instrument. Data were collected from 217 Spanish primary school children. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the validity of the proposed reduction in the number of TGMD-3 skills. In addition, the intraclass correlation coefficient was used to assess inter-rater
reliability and internal consistency, while Generalizability Theory was applied to evaluate the reliability of both the observers and the observation instrument. These complementary analyses provided evidence of the measurement quality of the proposed short version. The shortened six-skill version of the TGMD-3 demonstrated adequate factorial validity, internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, and high-quality observational data, supported by an observation instrument with exhaustive and mutually exclusive categories. These findings provide researchers and education professionals with a valid and reliable abbreviated version of the TGMD-3 for assessing motor competence in Spanish children, facilitating its use in future studies to identify typical and atypical motor development and to monitor changes in motor competence throughout primary education.
Downloads
-
Abstract26
-
(492-505) Validación de u...14
References
1. Anguera, M. T., Magnussson, M.S., Jonsson, G.K. (2007). Instrumentos no estándar: Planteamiento, desarrollo y posibilidades. Avances en Medición, 5,63-82
2. Bandeira, P. F., Duncan, M., Pessoa, M. L., Soares, Í., da Silva, L., Mota, J., Martins, C. (2020). TGMD-2 short version: evidence of validity and associations with sex, age, and BMI in preschool children. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 8(3), 528-543. https://doi.org/10,1123/jmld.2019-0040
3. Bandeira, P. F., Estevan, I., Duncan, M., Lenoir, M., Lemos, L., Romo-Perez, V., Valentini, N., Martins, C. (2025). A Multilayer Network Model for Motor Competence from the View of the Science of Complexity. Sports Medicine, 55(2), 245-254. https://doi.org/10,1007/s40279-024-02164-4
4. Bardid, F., Rudd, J. R., Lenoir, M., Polman, R., Barnett, L. M. (2015). Cross-cultural comparison of motor competence in children from Australia and Belgium. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 964. https://doi.org/10,3389/fpsyg.2015.00964
5. Bardid, F., Vannozzi, G., Logan, S. W., Hardy, L. L., Barnett, L. M. (2019). A hitchhiker’s guide to assessing young people’s motor competence: Deciding what method to use. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(3), 311-318. https://doi.org/10,1016/j.jsams.2018.08.007
6. Barnett, L. M., Stodden, D., Cohen, K. E., Smith, J. J., Lubans, D. R., Lenoir, M., Lander, N. J. (2016). Fundamental movement skills: An important focus. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 35(3), 219–225. https://doi.org/10,1123/jtpe.2014-0209
7. Barnett, L. M., Webster, E. K., Hulteen, R. M., De Meester, A., Valentini, N. C., Lenoir, M., Pesce, C., Getchell, N., Lopes, V. P., Robinson, L. E. (2022). Through the looking glass: A systematic review of longitudinal evidence, providing new insight for motor competence and health. Sports Medicine, 52(4), 875-920, https://doi.org/10,1007/s40279-021-01516-8
8. Blanco-Villaseñor, A., Castellano, J., Hernández-Mendo, A., Sánchez-López, C. R., Usabiaga, O. (2014). Aplicación de la TG en el deporte para el estudio de la fiabilidad, validez y estimación de la muestra. Revista de Psicología del Deporte, 23(1), 131-137.
9. Bland, J., Altman, D. (1997). Statistics notes: Cronbach's alpha. British Medical Journal, 314, 572.
10. Brennan, R. L. (2003). Coefficients and Indexes in Generalizability Theory. University of Iowa.
11. Cairney, J., Clark, H., Dudley, D., Kriellaars, D. (2019). Physical literacy in children and youth—A construct validation study. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 38(2), 84-90, https://doi.org/10,1123/jtpe.2018-0270
12. Cao, Y., Zhang, C., Guo, R., Zhang, D., Wang, S. (2020). Performances of the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA), and validity of timing components in comparison with three commonly used agility tests in Chinese boys: An exploratory study. PeerJ, 8, e8784. https://doi.org/10,7717/peerj.8784
13. Chen, F. F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural equation modeling: a multidisciplinary journal, 14(3), 464-504. https://doi.org/10,1080/10705510701301834
14. Cronbach, L. J., Gleser, G.C., Nanda, H., Rajaratnam, N. (1972). The dependability of behavioral measurements: Theory of generalizability for scores and profiles. John Wiley and Sons
15. Duncan, M. J., Martins, C., Ribeiro Bandeira, P. F., Issartel, J., Peers, C., Belton, S., O’Connor, N. E., Behan, S. (2022). TGMD-3 short version: Evidence of validity and associations with sex in Irish children. Journal of Sports Sciences, 40(2), 138-145. https://doi.org/10,1080/02640414.2021.1978161
16. Estevan, I., Menescardi, C., García‐Massó, X., Barnett, L. M., Molina‐García, J. (2021). Profiling children longitudinally: A three‐year follow‐up study of perceived and actual motor competence and physical fitness. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 31, 35-46. https://doi.org/10,1111/sms.13731
17. Estevan, I., Molina-García, J., Queralt, A., Álvarez, O., Castillo, I., Barnett, L. (2017). Validity and Reliability of the Spanish Version of the Test of Gross Motor Development–3. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 5(1), 69-81. https://doi.org/10,1123/jmld.2016-0045
18. Fleiss, J.L. (1981) Statistical method for rates and proportions. Wiley.
19. Fornell, C., Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50.
20. Franco Hidalgo-Chacon, J. P., Rodríguez-Arteche, I. Martínez-Aznar, M. M. (2022). ¿Qué hacen los estudiantes de Educación Primaria españoles fuera del horario académico? Actividades extraescolares. Revista Complutense de Educación, 33(3), 459-474. https://doi.org/10.5209/rced.74490
21. Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate Data Analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
22. Hernández-Mendo, A., Blanco-Villaseñor, A., Pastrana, J. L., Morales-Sánchez, V., Ramos-Pérez, F. J. (2016). SAGT: Aplicación informática para análisis de generalizabilidad. Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología del Ejercicio y el Deporte, 11(1), 77-89.
23. Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M. (2015). A New Criterion for Assessing Discriminant Validity in Variance-Based Structural Equation Modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
24. Hu, L., Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10,1080/10705519909540118
25. Hulteen, R. M., Barnett, L. M., True, L., Lander, N. J., del Pozo Cruz, B., Lonsdale, C. (2020). Validity and reliability evidence for motor competence assessments in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(15), 1717-1798. https://doi.org/10,1080/02640414.2020,1756674
26. Hulteen, R. M., Morgan, P. J., Barnett, L. M., Stodden, D. F., Lubans, D. R. (2018). Development of foundational movement skills: A conceptual model for physical activity across the lifespan. Sports Medicine, 48(7), 1533-1540, https://doi.org/10,1007/s40279-018-0892-6
27. Huotari, P., Heikinaro‐Johansson, P., Watt, A., Jaakkola, T. (2018). Fundamental movement skills in adolescents: Secular trends from 2003 to 2010 and associations with physical activity and BMI. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 28(3), 1121-1129. https://doi.org/10,1111/sms.13028
28. Isorna, M., Rial, A., Vaquero-Cristóbal, R. (2014). Motivaciones para la práctica deportiva en escolares federados y no federados. Retos. Nuevas Tendencias en Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación, (25), 80-84. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i25.34485
29. John, A., Wainwright, N., Goodway, J. D., Williams, A. (2024). The Relationship between Physical Activity and Motor Competence of Foundation Phase Children in Wales during the School Day. Children, 11(6), 629. https://doi.org/10,3390/children11060629
30. Jylänki, P., Mbay, T., Hakkarainen, A., Sääkslahti, A., Aunio, P. (2022). The effects of motor skill and physical activity interventions on preschoolers’ cognitive and academic skills: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 155, 106948. https://doi.org/10,1016/j.ypmed.2021.106948
31. Lafave M. R., Butterwick, D. J. (2014). Generalizability theory study of athletic taping using the technical skill assessment instrument. Journal of Athletic Training, 49(3), 368–372. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-49.2.22
32. Logan, S. W., Ross, S. M., Chee, K., Stodden, D. F., Robinson, L. E. (2018). Fundamental motor skills: A systematic review of terminology. Journal of sports sciences, 36(7), 781-796. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2017.1340660
33. Martínez, R. (1995). Teoría de la generalizabilidad (I): Conceptos básicos. Estudios G.: Modelos de efectos aleatorios. En R. Martínez. Psicometría. Teoría de los tests psicológicos y educativos. Síntesis.
34. McKenzie, T.L. (2010). Observing physical activity and its contexts. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 81(2), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2010.10599656
35. Medina, J., Delgado, M. A. (1999). Metodología de entrenamiento de observadores para investigaciones sobre E.F. y deporte en las que se utilice como método la observación. Motricidad, 5, 69-86.
36. Menescardi, C., Estevan, I., Falcó, C., Hernández-Mendo, A. (2017). Generalizability theory applied to olympic taekwondo combats. European Journal of Human Movement, 39, 65-81.
37. Menescardi, C., Villarrasa-Sapiña, I., Lander, N., Estevan, I. (2022). Canadian Agility Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) in a Spanish Context: Evidences of Reliability and Validity. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 26(3), 245-255. https://doi.org/10,1080/1091367X.2021.2020794
38. Morales-Sánchez, V., Pérez-López, R., Morquecho-Sánchez, R., Hernández-Mendo, A. (2016). Generalizabilidad y gestión deportiva . Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 16(1), 161-170.
39. Newell, K. M. (2020). What are fundamental motor skills and what is fundamental about them? Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 8(2), 280–314. https://doi.org/10,1123/jmld.2020-0013
40. Reilly, T., Collins, K. (2008). Science and the Gaelic sports: Gaelic football and hurling. European Journal of Sport Science, 8(5), 231-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461390802251851
41. Robinson, L. E., Stodden, D. F., Barnett, L. M., Lopes, V. P., Logan, S. W., Rodrigues, L. P., D’Hondt, E. (2015). Motor competence and its effect on positive developmental trajectories of health. Sports Medicine, 45(9), 1273-1284. https://doi.org/10,1007/s40279-015-0351-6
42. Stodden, D. F., Goodway, J. D., Langendorfer, S. J., Roberton, M. A., Rudisill, M. E., Garcia, C., Garcia, L. E. (2008). A developmental perspective on the role of motor skill competence in physical activity: An emergent relationship. Quest, 60(2), 290-306. https://doi.org/10,1080/00336297.2008.10483582
43. Ulrich, D. A. (2017). Introduction to the special section: Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the TGMD-3. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 5(1), 1-4.
44. Valentini, N. (2024). Motor Skill Assessment in Children and Adolescents. En A. García-Hermoso (Ed.), Promotion of Physical Activity and Health in the School Setting (pp. 133-163). Springer.
45. Valentini, N. C., Rudisill, M. E., Ribeiro-Bandeira, P. F., Hastie, P. A. (2018). The development of a short form of the Test of Gross Motor Development‐2 in Brazilian children: Validity and reliability. Child: Care, Health and Development, 44(5), 759-765. https://doi.org/10,1111/cch.12598
46. Van Rossum, T., Foweather, L., Hayes, S., Richardson, D., Morley, D. (2021). Expert recommendations for the design of a teacher-oriented movement assessment tool for children aged 4-7 years: A Delphi study. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 25(4), 283-293. https://doi.org/10,1080/1091367x.2021.1876070
47. Webster, E. K., Ulrich, D. A. (2017). Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Test of Gross Motor Development—Third Edition. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 5(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10,1123/jmld.2016-0003
48. Wickel, E.R., Welk, G. J. (2010). Applying generalizability theory to estimate habitual activity levels. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 42(8), 1528-1534. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181d107c4
49. Woods, C., Ng, K., Britton, U., McClelland, J. F., O'Keeffe, B., Sheikhi, A., ... O'Brien, W. (2023). Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study 2022. Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, Sport Ireland and Healthy Ireland, Dublin, Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
50. Zeng, N., Ayyub, M., Sun, H., Wen, X., Xiang, P., Gao, Z. (2017). Effects of physical activity on motor skills and cognitive development in early childhood: A systematic review. BioMed Research International, 2017(1), 2760716. https://doi.org/10,1155/2017/2760716
Las obras que se publican en esta revista están sujetas a los siguientes términos:
1. El Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia (la editorial) conserva los derechos patrimoniales (copyright) de las obras publicadas, y favorece y permite la reutilización de las mismas bajo la licencia de uso indicada en el punto 2.
2. Las obras se publican en la edición electrónica de la revista bajo una licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 3.0 España (texto legal). Se pueden copiar, usar, difundir, transmitir y exponer públicamente, siempre que: i) se cite la autoría y la fuente original de su publicación (revista, editorial y URL de la obra); ii) no se usen para fines comerciales; iii) se mencione la existencia y especificaciones de esta licencia de uso.
3. Condiciones de auto-archivo. Se permite y se anima a los autores a difundir electrónicamente las versiones pre-print (versión antes de ser evaluada) y/o post-print (versión evaluada y aceptada para su publicación) de sus obras antes de su publicación, ya que favorece su circulación y difusión más temprana y con ello un posible aumento en su citación y alcance entre la comunidad académica. Color RoMEO: verde.
