Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: May 7, 2020
Date Accepted: Sep 29, 2020
Intervention to Improve Preschool Children’s Fundamental Motor Skills: Methods of a Parent-Focused, Mobile App-Based Comparative Effectiveness Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Preschool age is an important time to master fundamental motor skills (FMS) through structured physical activity, yet many young children lag behind in motor skill development.
Objective:
The PLAY study is a pilot comparative effectiveness trial to test the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile application (app) delivered to parents to promote FMS development in their preschool children (ages 3-5 years).
Methods:
A two-arm, parallel design, randomized comparative effectiveness trial in 72 parent-child dyads from the southeastern United States. Experts in motor skills and developmental psychology developed an app designed to deliver a 12-week program to parents of preschoolers using one of two curricula: a FMS program (intervention) that involved peer modeling, parent engagement, and structured skills-based activities and an unstructured physical activity (comparator) curriculum that provided suggestions for child-led physical activity (i.e. free play).
Results:
Primary outcomes are feasibility and acceptability of the app and child’s FMS measured at end of intervention (week 12). Exploratory outcomes are child’s objective physical activity, perceived movement competence, and parent report of self-regulation at end of treatment (week 12) and sustained outcomes at follow-up (week 24).
Conclusions:
The PLAY study examines the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile app and parent-led curricula to promote FMS proficiency for preschool children. If found to be effective, the app has the potential for wide-scale dissemination to parents of preschoolers and to provide a model for the utilization of mobile apps to promote young children’s motor skill development. Clinical Trial: NCT03901300
Citation
Per the author's request the PDF is not available.
Copyright
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