RESEARCH ARTICLE
Analysis of the Predictive Value of Motor Coordination, Anxiety and Self-Esteem Levels on Self-Perceived Motor Competence in Primary Students
Manuel Segura-Berges,
Carlos Peñarrubia-Lozano,
Juan Carlos Bustamante,
Manuel Segura-Berges
Department of Educational Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorCarlos Peñarrubia-Lozano
Department of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Juan Carlos Bustamante
Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Correspondence: Juan Carlos Bustamante ([email protected])
Search for more papers by this authorManuel Segura-Berges,
Carlos Peñarrubia-Lozano,
Juan Carlos Bustamante,
Manuel Segura-Berges
Department of Educational Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorCarlos Peñarrubia-Lozano
Department of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Juan Carlos Bustamante
Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Correspondence: Juan Carlos Bustamante ([email protected])
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 31 March 2025
ABSTRACT
Motor, psycho-emotional, cognitive and social variables, plus other factors like gender, influence how schoolchildren perceive their motor competence level. By means of a hierarchical linear regression analysis, this longitudinal study aimed to determine the predictive value that coordination, anxiety, and self-esteem at the age of 9 years can have on the self-perceived motor competence variable at the age between 11 and 12 years. Data collection was performed with 224 pupils at a first time point with grade-4 Primary Education (PEd) pupils (mean age 9.11 ± 0.32 years) and a second time point with grade-6 PEd pupils (11.49 ± 0.50 years). The results evidenced that coordination, anxiety, and self-esteem at the age of 9 years predicted self-perceived motor competence at ages between 11 and 12 years. Gender differences were also observed in these results. For the female gender, age, coordination, and anxiety variables explained the variance for self-perceived motor competence. For the male gender, age, coordination, and self-esteem explained the variance for self-perception competence. This reveals the importance of more globally understanding self-perceived motor competence in PEd pupils considering the predictive role of psycho-emotional, motor, and socio-demographic variables based on gender.
Summary
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The assessment of motor competence in Primary Education must take into account the psycho-emotional development of students.
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It is necessary to propose co-educational situations that allow for optimal development of self-perception of motor competence.
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It is important to develop motor coordination in childhood so that it has an impact on self-perception of motor competence in pre-adolescent age.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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