The Impact of Physical Activity Enjoyment on Motor Ability

摘要

This study aimed to examine the impact of physical activity enjoyment on the motor ability of school-age children. We collected data from 351 elementary school students (180 boys and 171 girls; Mage= 8.78, standard deviation= 1.85) from public elementary schools in Japan. We investigated individual profiles (sex, age, birth date, and school year), children's physical size (height, weight, and Rohrer index), children's motor ability (performance during a 50-m sprint, standing broad jump, and throwing a soft ball), and enjoyment of physical activity using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). We assessed the effect of physical activity enjoyment (independent variable) on motor ability (dependent variable) using binomial logistic regression analysis. An examination of confounders (chi-square test) indicated that weight and Rohrer index were the influential factors in the 50-m sprint (ps < .05). Therefore, the adjusted ORs for these factors were calculated using logistic regression analysis. The adjusted analysis results indicated that enjoyment (PACES score> 4.00) is a promoting factor for motor ability.