José Luis Graupera Sanz

NEW MEASURE OF PERCEIVED MOTOR COMPETENCE FOR CHILDREN AGES 4 TO 6 YEARS

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a test for the assessment of perceived motor competence in young children ages 4 to 6 years old. The structure of the Childrens Perception of Motor Competence Scale was analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with 495 children between 4 and 6 years of age. A second-order model was selected and consisted of one scale of Perceived General Motor Competence and two subscales, Perceived Gross Motor Competence and Perceived Fine Motor Competence. The number of items was 22. This test showed acceptable internal reliability: global scale (α = .81), Perceived Gross Motor Competence (α = .80), and Perceived Fine Motor Competence (α = .65). Children manifested accuracy in the assessment of the competence. Perceived motor competence was related to actual motor competence as measured by the Movement ABC Test and by an observational scale used by Physical Education teachers. There were no sex differences. The Childrens Perception of Motor Competence Scale could be considered an interesting assessment test for identifying current self-perceptions of motor competence in young children.

Being physically active in old age: relationships with being active earlier in life, social status and agents of socialisation

ABSTRACT Critical reviews of the literature on the factors that influence physical activity among older adults have argued that existing theoretical frameworks should be extended by integrating those that deal with the complex processes of socialisation and social learning. This paper explores some of the social processes that influence older peoples participation in physical activity (beyond that associated with everyday domestic tasks). A questionnaire with items on personal, social and environmental characteristics was completed by a random sample of older adults in the Madrid Autonomous Region (Spain). Significant relationships were found between the type of physical activity participation and: being physically active at earlier life stages, socio-economic status, the encouragement of others or social support in being active, and the knowledge and availability of local facilities. Some cases were observed of re-socialisation into physical activity among those who had been inactive earlier in life, and both appropriate environmental and supportive social conditions appeared instrumental. The findings could usefully inform the design of future social programmes to promote active lifestyles in later life, but given the complexity of the socialisation processes, it would be advisable for future studies to examine other than the four factors featured in the presented analysis, such as the role of cultural differences.

La percepción que los corredores kenianos tienen de sus actividades entrenamiento

El presente estudio se enmarca dentro de la Teoria del RendimientoExperto. Esta teoria propone que para llegar a ser experto en undominio, un sujeto debe superar un periodo de adquisicion extensivo consistenteen miles de horas de practica intencionalmente disenada para mejorar.El presente estudio busco analizar las percepciones subjetivas de un grupode corredores kenianos de larga distancia sobre sus tareas de entrenamientopara lo cual cumplimentaron un cuestionario basado en una taxonomia deactividades de entrenamiento valoradas en cuatro dimensiones: Relevancia,Esfuerzo, Concentracion y Diversion. En este estudio participaron 27 corredoresde fondo kenianos divididos en tres grupos de niveles por su marca.El rango de edades de los participantes fue de 21 a 39 anos (M= 25,39; DT=3,82). Todos estos corredores eran especialistas de las pruebas de media maratony maraton. Fueron divididos en tres grupos de nivel de rendimientopor su marca: Medio, Alto y Muy Alto. Los resultados mostraron comolas dimensiones de Concentracion, Esfuerzo y Disfrute diferenciaron a loscorredores por su nivel, asimismo se manifesto el papel que las actividadesgrupales de entrenamiento tienen para estos corredores, lo que plantea lacuestion si los modelos de desarrollo de la excelencia desarrollados en enlos paises desarrollados sirven para explicar este fenomeno en los paises envias de desarrollo.