Motor Competence, Physical Fitness, Response Inhibition
Conditions
Keywords
preschool children, Physical Fitness, Executive Function, Motor Development
Brief summary
This study examined the effects of an 8-week motor-skill-enriched coordinative exercise program on physical fitness, motor competence, and response inhibition in preschool children. Forty-four typically developing children from two pre-existing preschool classes participated. One class completed the exercise program twice per week, with each session lasting 20 minutes, while the other class continued its usual preschool activities. Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. Physical fitness was evaluated using countermovement jump, change-of-direction, and static and dynamic balance tests; motor competence was assessed using the KTK3+ test battery; and response inhibition was assessed using the Early Years Toolbox Go/No-Go task.
Interventions
OTHERMotor-Skill-Enriched Coordinative Exercise
An 8-week, twice-weekly motor-skill-enriched coordinative exercise program consisting of developmentally appropriate, game-based motor activities. Each session lasted approximately 20 minutes and included a 3-minute warm-up, a 14-minute main section, and a 3-minute cool-down. The program primarily emphasized locomotor, balance, spatial-orientation, direction-change, and whole-body coordination tasks, with selected object-control activities. Exercise complexity and practice duration were progressively increased across the intervention period.
Sponsors
Namik Kemal University
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Two pre-existing preschool classes were included. One class received the motor-skill-enriched coordinative exercise intervention, while the other class continued its usual preschool curriculum. Individual participants were not randomized.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
5 Years to 6 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Typically developing preschool children. * Not receiving regular medication. * No parent-reported cardiovascular, neurological, orthopedic, or psychiatric condition that could interfere with participation in the assessments or exercise sessions. * Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian.
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosed intellectual disability. * Any health condition preventing safe participation in physical activity.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Correct-Go Reaction Time | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks). | Correct-Go reaction time from the Early Years Toolbox Go/No-Go task was recorded in milliseconds and was interpreted as an index of response speed rather than response inhibition. Lower values indicate faster responding. |
| Change in Pro-Agility Test Completion Time | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Change-of-direction performance was assessed using the Pro-Agility test. Completion time was recorded in seconds, with lower values indicating better performance. |
| Change in Static Balance Performance | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Static balance was assessed using the Sensbalance MiniBoard and expressed as a percentage, with higher values indicating better performance. |
| Change in Dynamic Balance Performance | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Dynamic balance was assessed using the Sensbalance MiniBoard and expressed as a percentage, with higher values indicating better performance. |
| Change in Countermovement Jump Height | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Lower-body explosive performance was assessed using the countermovement jump. Jump height was recorded in centimeters, with higher values indicating better performance. |
| Change in KTK3+ Balancing Backwards Score | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Balancing Backwards was assessed as part of the KTK3+ motor competence battery. The number of successful backward steps across the balance-beam trials was recorded, with higher scores indicating better performance. |
| Change in KTK3+ Jumping Sideways Score | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Jumping Sideways was assessed as part of the KTK3+ motor competence battery. The total number of successful two-footed jumps across two trials was recorded, with higher scores indicating better performance. |
| Change in KTK3+ Moving Sideways Score | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Moving Sideways was assessed as part of the KTK3+ motor competence battery. Scores from two 20-second trials were summed, with higher scores indicating better performance. |
| Change in KTK3+ Eye-Hand Coordination Score | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Eye-hand coordination was assessed as part of the KTK3+ battery using an alternating tennis-ball throw-and-catch task. The number of successful catches across two trials was recorded, with higher scores indicating better performance. |
| Change in Go/No-Go Impulse-Control Score | Baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks) | Response inhibition was assessed using the Early Years Toolbox Go/No-Go task. The impulse-control score was calculated as proportional Go accuracy multiplied by proportional No-Go accuracy and ranged from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating better response inhibition. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed