Motivational Climate, Motor-Skill Development, and Perceived Competence: Two Studies of Developmentally Delayed Kindergarten Children

TLDR

The studies examined how motivational climate influences motor‑skill development and perceived competence in kindergarten children with developmental delays. Experiment 1 exposed two groups of delayed kindergarteners to 12‑week high‑mastery or low‑autonomy motivational climates. The mastery‑climate group achieved significantly better locomotor performance and higher perceived competence after 12 weeks, and these gains were maintained six months later, while both groups improved in locomotor and object‑control skills.

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of motivational climate on motor-skill development and perceived physical competence in kindergarten children with developmental delays. In Experiment 1, two intervention groups were exposed to environments with either high (mastery climate) or low autonomy for 12 weeks. Results showed that the mastery-climate group demonstrated significantly better locomotor performance and higher perceived physical competence postintervention than did the low-autonomy group, although both groups improved in locomotor and object-control skill performance. The second investigation extended the findings of the first by determining that the intervention effects were present 6 months later. In summary, the mastery-climate group showed positive changes in skill development and perceived physical competence, and this positive pattern of change was maintained over time.