Validity and reliability of the Simple Motor Competence-check for Kids (SMC-Kids)

• Published in: Journal of science and medicine in sport Vol. 28; no. 5; pp. 391 - 397
• Main Authors: Komura, Keisuke, Demura, Tomohiro, Ogura, Yusaku, Kyan, Akira, Nawata, Ryota, Takahashi, Kousuke, Matsuura, Ryo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2025; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Badminton; Child; Child Development - physiology; Child, Preschool; Childhood; Children & youth; Cognitive development; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise; Exercise Test - methods; Female; Fundamental movement skill; Gross motor development; Humans; Male; Motor ability; Motor skills; Motor Skills - physiology; Movement; Observer Variation; Physical fitness; Preschool; Preschool education; Reproducibility of Results; Skills; Softball; Japan; AST; SRMR; Movement; CI; Motor skills; CFI; ICC; Preschool; Fundamental movement skill; CV; RMSEA; MC; SEM; ECEC; Child; SWC; Gross motor development
• ISSN: 1440-2440; 1878-1861; 1878-1861
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2024.12.010

To examine the validity and reliability of the Simple Motor Competence-check for Kids (SMC-Kids), which was developed to assess motor development in preschool children. A cross-sectional and repeated-measures design. To assess validity, 71 children aged 4–6 years completed the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) and SMC-Kids (10 m shuttle run and paper ball throw). For inter-rater reliability, 91 children aged 3–6 years performed the SMC-Kids test, twice, by two different raters. To evaluate intra-rater reliability and quantify improvements beyond measurement error, 53 participants were reassessed by the same rater 7–10 days later. Spearman's rho between the 10 m shuttle run and the TGMD-3 locomotor score was −0.51 (95 % CI: −0.31, −0.66), and between the paper ball throw and TGMD-3 ball skill score was 0.80 (95 % CI: 0.70, 0.87). Confirmatory factor analysis showed strong associations of the 10 m shuttle run and paper ball throw with latent variables of locomotor and object control skills, with factor loadings of −0.97 and 0.88, respectively. Both tests showed good-to-excellent inter-rater (ICC = 0.898–0.96) and intra-rater reliabilities (ICC = 0.882–0.974). The smallest worthwhile changes were 0.25 s for the 10 m shuttle run and 0.42 m for the paper ball throw, with double coefficients of variation of 0.46 s and 0.99 m, and MDC 95 of 0.82 s and 1.52 m, respectively. SMC-Kids is a simple tool to quickly measure preschooler locomotor and object control skills without the need for special equipment or large spaces.