Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test

Introduction The Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd Edition (MABC-2) test is a valuable tool for identifying motor delays in children globally. However, there has been a lack of data for children in Singapore. Methods This study compared 175 children in Singapore (SG) aged 3–6 years to MA...

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Main Authors: Jernice S.Y. Tan, Michael Chia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2024-12-01
Series:PeerJ
Subjects:
Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/18446.pdf
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author Jernice S.Y. Tan
Michael Chia
author_facet Jernice S.Y. Tan
Michael Chia
author_sort Jernice S.Y. Tan
collection DOAJ
description Introduction The Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd Edition (MABC-2) test is a valuable tool for identifying motor delays in children globally. However, there has been a lack of data for children in Singapore. Methods This study compared 175 children in Singapore (SG) aged 3–6 years to MABC-2 data based on the United Kingdom (UK) population, using statistical tests to analyze age, country, and gender effects on motor competence. Results The results showed a positive age effect across all tasks, with SG children excelling in balance but lagging in aiming and catching tasks compared to UK children. The interaction between age and country yielded mixed results, favoring different groups at various ages. Additionally, girls displayed better manual dexterity and static balance than boys. Conclusion Encouraging more physical activities, especially those involving object manipulation, is crucial for SG children. Establishing local norms for the MABC-2 in Singapore and considering country-specific factors in motor competence evaluations can enhance early intervention strategies. These findings emphasize the importance of tailored approaches to address motor skill development in SG children.
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spelling doaj-art-2f8a7e655d3244af96d9e73cd8959d4e2025-08-20T02:21:02ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592024-12-0112e1844610.7717/peerj.18446Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 testJernice S.Y. Tan0Michael Chia1Physical Education and Sports Science, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporePhysical Education and Sports Science, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeIntroduction The Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd Edition (MABC-2) test is a valuable tool for identifying motor delays in children globally. However, there has been a lack of data for children in Singapore. Methods This study compared 175 children in Singapore (SG) aged 3–6 years to MABC-2 data based on the United Kingdom (UK) population, using statistical tests to analyze age, country, and gender effects on motor competence. Results The results showed a positive age effect across all tasks, with SG children excelling in balance but lagging in aiming and catching tasks compared to UK children. The interaction between age and country yielded mixed results, favoring different groups at various ages. Additionally, girls displayed better manual dexterity and static balance than boys. Conclusion Encouraging more physical activities, especially those involving object manipulation, is crucial for SG children. Establishing local norms for the MABC-2 in Singapore and considering country-specific factors in motor competence evaluations can enhance early intervention strategies. These findings emphasize the importance of tailored approaches to address motor skill development in SG children.https://peerj.com/articles/18446.pdfMotor assessmentManual dexterityAimingThrowingCatchingBalance
spellingShingle Jernice S.Y. Tan
Michael Chia
Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test
PeerJ
Motor assessment
Manual dexterity
Aiming
Throwing
Catching
Balance
title Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test
title_full Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test
title_fullStr Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test
title_full_unstemmed Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test
title_short Motor competence of children in Singapore using Movement ABC-2 test
title_sort motor competence of children in singapore using movement abc 2 test
topic Motor assessment
Manual dexterity
Aiming
Throwing
Catching
Balance
url https://peerj.com/articles/18446.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT jernicesytan motorcompetenceofchildreninsingaporeusingmovementabc2test
AT michaelchia motorcompetenceofchildreninsingaporeusingmovementabc2test