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Gender differences in motor skill proficiency from childhood to adolescence: a longitudinal study

Res Q Exerc Sport. 2010 Jun;81(2):162-70. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2010.10599663.

Abstract

Students' proficiency in three object control and three locomotor skills were assessed in 2000 (M age = 10.06 years, SD = 0.63) in New South Wales, Australia and in 2006-07 (M age = 16.44 years, SD = 0.64). In 2006-07, 266 students, 138 girls (51.9%) and 128 boys (48.1%), had at least one skill reassessed. Boys were more object control proficient than girls. Childhood object control proficiency significantly predicted (p = .001) adolescent object control proficiency (r2 = .39), and, while gender was significant (p = .001), it did not affect the relationship between these variables (p = .53). Because childhood object control proficiency is predictive of subsequent object control proficiency, developing skills in childhood is important.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Motor Skills / physiology*
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
  • Sex Factors