Linking Motor Competence to Children's Self-Perceptions: The Mediating Role of Physical Fitness.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objectives

Self-perceptions in childhood shape motivation, behavior, and well-being; however, their relationship to motor competence and physical fitness remains unclear. We tested whether physical fitness mediates the association between motor competence and domain-specific self-perceptions in middle childhood.

Methods

In a school-based sample of 100 ten-year-olds (59 girls, 41 boys; 3 exclusions ≤ 5th MABC-2 percentile), children completed MABC-2 (motor competence), EUROFIT (physical fitness), and SPPC (self-perceptions). Principal component analysis of the nine EUROFIT tests yielded two factors: Motor Fitness (agility/endurance/flexibility/muscular endurance) and Strength/Size (handgrip and BMI). Parallel mediation models (MABC-2 → [Motor Fitness, Strength/Size

SUBMITTER: Serbetar I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12564408 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature