Prevalence of Motor Difficulties in Greek Preschoolers: The Effect of Gender, Age, BMI, Place of Residence, and Hand Preference

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/ajer.v70i2.78379

Keywords:

motor skills, Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd edition; MABC-2), ball skills, hand dexterity, balance ; motricité, trouble de la coordination du développement (DCD), batterie d'évaluation du mouvement pour les enfants (2e édition ; MABC-2), habiletés avec le ballon, dextérité manuelle, équilibre

Abstract

The main aim of the present study was to identify motor difficulties in Greek preschoolers. Secondary aims were to identify possible differences in prevalence of motor difficulties related to gender, age, body mass index, place of residence, and hand preference. 302 preschoolers were assessed using the first age band (3–6 years) of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd edition). The results showed high prevalence of significant (12.3%) and moderate (12.3%) motor difficulties in preschool children. Moreover, gender, age, BMI, residence, and hand preference effects showed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) and need further consideration among preschool children. However, there was evidence that some differences may exist between boys and girls, 4- and 5-year-old children, children with high and typical body mass index, children living in rural or urban areas, and right and left-handed children, regarding the occurrence of motor difficulties. These findings highlighted the need for early assessment in domains of motor development, such as hand dexterity, ball skills and balance in order for developmentally appropriate preschool physical education programs to be applied, with the aim to help preschoolers improve their difficulties and be physically active later in life.

L'objectif principal de la présente étude était d'identifier les difficultés motrices chez les enfants grecs d'âge préscolaire. Les objectifs secondaires étaient d'identifier les différences possibles dans la prévalence des difficultés motrices liées au sexe, à l'âge, à l'indice de masse corporelle, au lieu de résidence et à la préférence manuelle. 302 enfants d'âge préscolaire ont été évalués à l'aide de la première tranche d'âge (3-6 ans) de la batterie d'évaluation du mouvement pour les enfants (2e édition). Les résultats ont montré une forte prévalence de difficultés motrices importantes (12,3 %) et modérées (12,3 %) chez les enfants d'âge préscolaire. Deuxièmement, les effets du sexe, de l'âge, de l'IMC, du lieu de résidence et de la préférence manuelle n'ont pas montré de différences statistiquement significatives (p > 0,05) et nécessitent un examen plus approfondi chez les enfants d'âge préscolaire. Toutefois, des éléments indiquent qu'il peut exister des différences entre les garçons et les filles, les enfants de 4 et 5 ans, les enfants ayant un indice de masse corporelle élevé et ceux ayant un indice de masse corporelle normal, les enfants vivant dans des zones rurales ou urbaines, et les enfants droitiers et gauchers, en ce qui concerne l'apparition de difficultés motrices. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité d'une évaluation précoce dans les domaines du développement moteur, tels que la dextérité manuelle, les habiletés avec le ballon et l'équilibre, afin d'appliquer des programmes d'éducation physique préscolaire adaptés au développement, dans le but d'aider les enfants d'âge préscolaire à surmonter leurs difficultés et à être physiquement actifs plus tard dans la vie.

Author Biographies

Olga Kechagia, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Olga Kechagia is a Physical Education Teacher in General Hospital of Thessaloniki G. Papanikolaou. She holds a BSc in Physical Education and Sport Science from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a MSc in Human Performance and Health, with a specialization in Adapted Physical Activity, from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and a MSc in Clinical Exercise and Health Technology Applications from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science at Democritus University of Thrace. She has a long professional experience in the field of physical education and adapted physical exercise. Her research interests involve the assessment of children's and adolescents’ motor skills and the implementation of appropriate motor interventions, adapted physical education and exercise, exercise physiology, and clinical rehabilitation. Her research studies have been presented at numerous conferences and have been published in various academic journals.

Ermioni Katartzi, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Ermioni (Noni) Katartzi is an Associate Professor in Motor Development and Motor Coordination Difficulties at the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Serres, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. She holds a BSc in Physical Education and Sport Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a MSc in Sport Science from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science at Komotini, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece, an MA in Education from the Greek Open University, Patras, Greece, and a PhD in Human Performance and Health, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. She has been an Internship Scientific/Academic Manager at the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Serres, since 2015/2016.Her research interests focus on issues regarding the assessment of motor abilities, skills and motor coordination difficulties in children/adolescents/young adults and the implementation of intervention programs aiming to promote participation in physical activity for children/adolescents/young adults with motor coordination difficulties. Her research studies have been published in high impact journals and she participated as a key note speaker in scientific congresses, seminars or social meetings. She is a reviewer in several international journals.

Eleni Fotiadou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Eleni Fotiadou is a Professor in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where she specializes in Adapted Physical Education. She is an integral part of the Laboratory of Motor Behavior and Adapted Physical Activity and she has a long teaching, research and professional experience associated to physical education for individuals with disabilities. Her research interests are primarily centered on adapted dance, exploring its physiological and psychological benefits, as well as its role in leisure activities, and her research studies have been published on high impact journals. Professor Fotiadou's commitment to inclusive physical education is evident through her extensive teaching and research contributions, making her a prominent figure in the field of Adapted Physical Education.

Paraskevi Giagazoglou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Giagazoglou Paraskevi is a Professor of special education in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has a long teaching, research and professional experience associated to children’s development, evaluation of psychomotor abilities of children with and without disabilities and intervention programs. She has more than 100 papers published in international and Greek scientific journals as well as in proceedings of international and Greek conferences with over 1600 references to her work and h-index 20 based on her profile in the Google scholar database.

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2024-07-30

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Kechagia, O., Katartzi, E., Fotiadou, E., & Giagazoglou, P. (2024). Prevalence of Motor Difficulties in Greek Preschoolers: The Effect of Gender, Age, BMI, Place of Residence, and Hand Preference. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 70(2), 328–352. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/ajer.v70i2.78379

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