A four-week fundamental motor skill intervention improves motor skills in eight to 10-year-old Irish primary school children

Aim
To determine if a four-week fundamental motor skills intervention improves fundamental motor skills in Irish school children.

Methods
100 Primary School boys (n = 58) and girls (n = 42) participated in this study (Age 9 ± 1 years, equally divided into a control and intervention group. Proficiency was assessed qualitatively using the Fundamental Motor Skills Quotient (FMSQ) pre and post intervention, and between gender.

Results
There was no change in the control group over time (p = 0.54; Mean change = 0.06 [−0.14 to 0.26]; Cohen’s d = 0.01 [Trivial]). In the intervention group, both the male (p ≤ 0.001; Mean diff = 0.893 [7.79 to 10.08]; Cohen’s d = 2.24 [V. Large]), and female group (p ≤ 0.001; Mean diff = 11.85 [10.45 to 13.25]; Cohen’s d = 3.54 [V. Large]) significantly improved fundamental motor skills scores. A four-week intervention is effective at improving FMSQ.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2020.1724065

Responses

A four-week fundamental motor skill intervention improves motor skills in eight to 10-year-old Irish primary school children