Cross-cultural comparison of motor competence in children from Australia and Belgium

TLDR

Motor competence in childhood is a key determinant of later physical activity and fitness, yet many countries report lower levels and worldwide declines are linked to increased sedentary behaviour and reduced physical activity, making cross‑country comparisons rare due to varied assessment tools. The study aimed to assess motor competence in 6‑ to 8‑year‑old children from Australia and Belgium using the KTK motor coordination test. The authors compared 244 Belgian and 252 Australian children (aged 6‑8 years) using the KTK test. MANCOVA revealed a significant country effect, with Belgian children outperforming Australian peers on several coordination tasks and a higher proportion of Australian children scoring below average, suggesting cultural differences in activity contexts and a general decline in motor competence compared to 40‑year‑ago norms.

Abstract

Motor competence in childhood is an important determinant of physical activity and physical fitness in later life. However, childhood competence levels in many countries are lower than desired. Due to the many motor skill instruments in use children's motor competence across countries is rarely compared. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the motor competence of children from Australia and Belgium using the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK). The sample consisted of 244 (43.4% boys) Belgian children and 252 (50.0% boys) Australian children, aged 6 to 8 years (Australian 7.6 ± 0.7 and Belgian 7.3 ± 0.9). MANCOVA for the motor scores showed a significant country effect (F = 14.61, p < 0.001). Belgian children scored higher on jumping sideways (F = 6.61, p = 0.01), moving sideways (F = 40.52, p < 0.001) and hopping for height (F = 8.28, p = 0.004) but not for balancing backwards (F = 2.64, p = 0.105). Moreover, a Chi squared test revealed significant differences between the Belgian and Australian score distribution with 21.3% Belgian and 39.3% Australian children scoring 'below average' (χ2 = 23.06, p < 0.001). The very low levels reported by Australian children may be the result of cultural differences in physical activity contexts such as physical education and active transport. When compared to normed scores, both samples scored significantly worse than children 40 years ago. The decline in children's motor competence is a global issue, largely influenced by increasing sedentary behaviour and a decline in physical activity.