Distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é a forma mais severa das distrofias e considerando as dificuldades que caracterizam a doença, o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o tempo de movimento durante uma tarefa com diferentes níveis de dificuldade e verificar se a dificuldade na execução do movimento prevalece em realizar a tarefa quando a demanda for velocidade ou acurácia. Participaram 17 indivíduos com DMD (com média de idade de 15 ± 2,2) e 17 indivíduos com desenvolvimento típico (DT), pareados por sexo e idade. A tarefa que avalia a relação velocidade e acurácia de movimento, baseada na Lei de Fitts, consiste na realização de movimentos manuais direcionados a um alvo, em 3 índices de dificuldade (ID). O tempo de movimento foi obtido por meio da divisão entre segundos pré-estabelecidos para a tarefa (10) e o número de toques realizados no alvo. O software que simulou a tarefa foi \"Fitts Reciprocal Aiming Task v.1.0 (Horizontal)\". A MANOVA demonstrou diferenças estatisticamente significantes nos dados de dispersão do tempo de movimento entre o grupo DMD (r2: M= 0.70, SD=0.04) e o grupo DT (r2: M= 0.85, SD=0,04) [F(1.32)=5,93; p=0,021; ?2=0.16] e nos valores do intercepto [F(1,32)=5.16; p=0.030; ?2=0.14], com maior tempo de movimento no grupo DMD (M= 321 ms, SD= 73 ms) comparado ao grupo DT (M= 86 ms; SD= 73). A ANOVA indicou efeito para grupos entre os ID, exceto entre ID4 e ID6. Os indivíduos do grupo DMD apresentaram um tempo significativamente maior se comparado ao grupo DT apenas nos ID2 e ID4. No ID6, onde há maior exigência por acurácia, os grupos tiveram desempenho semelhante. Estes dados demonstram que o desempenho dos indivíduos com DMD é mais afetado quando a tarefa envolve velocidade / Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most severe form of all the dystrophies, and taking into account the motor difficulties that characterize the disease, the aim of this study was to evaluate movement time during a task at various levels of difficulty and verify whether the difficulty in task execution in movement had prevalence over the demand of speed or accuracy. The DMD group comprised of 17 individuals (mean age 15 years ± 2.2) who were age- and sex-controlled matched paired with 17 individuals with typical development (TD group). The task which evaluates speed and accuracy of movement was based on Fitts´ Law, consisting on the execution of manual movements aimed at a target at 3 different indices of difficulty (ID). Movement time was obtained through division, pre-established in seconds, for a task and the number of touches performed to target. The software which simulated the task was \"Fitts´ Reciprocal Aiming Task v.1.0 (Horizontal)\". MANOVA demonstrated statistically significant differences in dispersion data of between DMD group (r2: M= 0.70, SD=0.04) and TD group (r2: M= 0.85, SD=0.04) [F(1,32)=5.93; p=0.021; ?2=0.16] and intercept values [F(1,32)=5.16; p=0.030; ?2=0.14], with greater movement time in DMD group (M= 321 ms, SD= 73 ms) compared to TD group (M= 86 ms; SD= 73). ANOVA indicated effect among groups between ID, except among ID4 and ID6. Individuals in DMD group had significantly longer movement time when compared to DT group only in ID2 and ID4. In ID6, where there is greater demand on the accuracy of the movement, the groups had similar performance. These data show that the development of individuals with DMD is more affected when the task involves speed

A fala é definida como a representação motora da Linguagem, a partir da coordenação de três processos neurológicos: organização de conceitos, formulação e expressão simbólica; programação do ato motor envolvido na produção da fala e a sua própria produção motora. O controle motor da fala, que ordena a contração muscular para a sua execução de praxias, inclui o planejamento, a preparação de movimentos e a execução de planos, com vistas a contrações musculares e deslocamentos de estruturas que culminarão na articulação da fala. Os trabalhos científicos nacionais e internacionais vislumbram um novo campo de atuação fonoaudiológica para o trabalho com a fala alterada, com a estimulação da praxias não verbais. Os objetivos deste trabalho centram-se na elaboração de um Programa de Intervenção Práxico-produtivo e aplicação em crianças com transtorno fonológico, para verificar sua aplicabilidade na clínica fonoaudiológica. O trabalho foi dividido em 2 etapas. A 1ª etapa contou com a revisão, na bibliografia nacional e internacional, do tratamento dado às praxias orais e não verbais e suas aplicações clínicas no âmbito fonoaudiológico, por meio de busca nas bases de dados PubMed, Lilacs e Scielo. Os artigos mostraram que a praxia não verbal pode ser estimulada para o trabalho clínico com a fala, no entanto, não há descrição do trabalho fonoaudiológico, tampouco um detalhamento de exercícios em sequência que poderiam ser usados. Nenhum artigo referiu o modo pelo qual as praxias não verbais deveriam ser trabalhadas, nem mesmo como se deve estimular a programação motora para a fala. Baseados nessa revisão, este estudo propôs um programa de estimulação das praxias não verbais de lábios e língua e dos aspectos fonológicos em 12 sessões pré-determinadas. Após elaboração do programa, aplicouse o material em 12 crianças, com idades entre 6 e 8 anos, com transtorno fonológico, que se enquadravam nos critérios de inclusão do estudo, para mostrar sua aplicabilidade na clínica. Os resultados apontaram melhora da realização da fala em todos os sujeitos, no tempo estipulado pelo instrumento, com escores superiores nas provas avaliativas de fonologia e praxias orais pós-intervenção, quando comparadas aos scores da pré-intervenção. O Programa de Intervenção Práxico-produtivo mostrou-se útil, simples, de fácil aplicação pelo fonoaudiólogo e de bom entendimento pelos participantes, com respostas favoráveis à aquisição dos fonemas. / Speech is defined as the motor representation of language from the coordination of three neurological processes: organization of concepts, formulation and symbolic expression; programming of motor act involved in speech production and its own motor production. The speech motor control, which orders the muscle contraction for its execution, includes the planning, preparation of movements and execution of plans, with a view to muscle contractions and movements of structures that will culminate in speech. National and international scientific papers envision a new field of speech therapy to work with altered speech with the stimulation of non-verbal praxis. The objectives of the present study focuses on the development of a Program of Praxis- Productive Intervention and its application in children with phonological disorder in order to verify its usability in speech therapy. The study was defined in 2 parts. The 1st stage included a review of the national and international literature for the treatment of oral and non-verbal praxis and its clinical applications in the area of speech by searching in the PubMed, Lilacs and Scielo databases. The articles showed that nonverbal praxis can be stimulated for clinical work with speech, however, there is no description of speech therapy work, nor a breakdown of exercises in sequence that could be used. No article referred to the way in which non-verbal praxis should be worked, not even how to stimulate motor programming for speech. Based on this review, the present study proposed a stimulation program of non-verbal praxis of the lips and tongue and the phonological aspects in 12 predetermined sessions. After drawing up the program, the material was applied to 12 children, aged between 6 and 8 years with phonological disorder that met the inclusion criteria of the study in order to show their applicability in practice. The results showed improvement in the realization of Speech in all subjects at the time stipulated by the instrument, with higher scores on the evaluative evidence of Phonology and Oral Praxis post-intervention compared to the scores of pre-intervention. The Praxis-productive intervention program was useful, simple, easy to apply by the speech patologist and had a good understanding by the participants with favorable responses for the acquisition of phonemes.

Distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é a forma mais severa das distrofias e considerando as dificuldades que caracterizam a doença, o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o tempo de movimento durante uma tarefa com diferentes níveis de dificuldade e verificar se a dificuldade na execução do movimento prevalece em realizar a tarefa quando a demanda for velocidade ou acurácia. Participaram 17 indivíduos com DMD (com média de idade de 15 ± 2,2) e 17 indivíduos com desenvolvimento típico (DT), pareados por sexo e idade. A tarefa que avalia a relação velocidade e acurácia de movimento, baseada na Lei de Fitts, consiste na realização de movimentos manuais direcionados a um alvo, em 3 índices de dificuldade (ID). O tempo de movimento foi obtido por meio da divisão entre segundos pré-estabelecidos para a tarefa (10) e o número de toques realizados no alvo. O software que simulou a tarefa foi \"Fitts Reciprocal Aiming Task v.1.0 (Horizontal)\". A MANOVA demonstrou diferenças estatisticamente significantes nos dados de dispersão do tempo de movimento entre o grupo DMD (r2: M= 0.70, SD=0.04) e o grupo DT (r2: M= 0.85, SD=0,04) [F(1.32)=5,93; p=0,021; ?2=0.16] e nos valores do intercepto [F(1,32)=5.16; p=0.030; ?2=0.14], com maior tempo de movimento no grupo DMD (M= 321 ms, SD= 73 ms) comparado ao grupo DT (M= 86 ms; SD= 73). A ANOVA indicou efeito para grupos entre os ID, exceto entre ID4 e ID6. Os indivíduos do grupo DMD apresentaram um tempo significativamente maior se comparado ao grupo DT apenas nos ID2 e ID4. No ID6, onde há maior exigência por acurácia, os grupos tiveram desempenho semelhante. Estes dados demonstram que o desempenho dos indivíduos com DMD é mais afetado quando a tarefa envolve velocidade / Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most severe form of all the dystrophies, and taking into account the motor difficulties that characterize the disease, the aim of this study was to evaluate movement time during a task at various levels of difficulty and verify whether the difficulty in task execution in movement had prevalence over the demand of speed or accuracy. The DMD group comprised of 17 individuals (mean age 15 years ± 2.2) who were age- and sex-controlled matched paired with 17 individuals with typical development (TD group). The task which evaluates speed and accuracy of movement was based on Fitts´ Law, consisting on the execution of manual movements aimed at a target at 3 different indices of difficulty (ID). Movement time was obtained through division, pre-established in seconds, for a task and the number of touches performed to target. The software which simulated the task was \"Fitts´ Reciprocal Aiming Task v.1.0 (Horizontal)\". MANOVA demonstrated statistically significant differences in dispersion data of between DMD group (r2: M= 0.70, SD=0.04) and TD group (r2: M= 0.85, SD=0.04) [F(1,32)=5.93; p=0.021; ?2=0.16] and intercept values [F(1,32)=5.16; p=0.030; ?2=0.14], with greater movement time in DMD group (M= 321 ms, SD= 73 ms) compared to TD group (M= 86 ms; SD= 73). ANOVA indicated effect among groups between ID, except among ID4 and ID6. Individuals in DMD group had significantly longer movement time when compared to DT group only in ID2 and ID4. In ID6, where there is greater demand on the accuracy of the movement, the groups had similar performance. These data show that the development of individuals with DMD is more affected when the task involves speed

O conhecimento de características das pessoas auxilia a individualizar a maneira de estruturar a prática de tarefas, o fornecimento de informação e a seleção de pessoas mais aptas a desempenhar certas funções. Há evidências de que essas características individuais, como traços de personalidade, podem afetar a aprendizagem de habilidades motoras. Investigar o efeito de diferentes estruturas de prática na aquisição de uma habilidade motora em indivíduos extrovertidos e introvertidos foi o objetivo deste trabalho. Noventa e seis universitários de ambos os sexos foram selecionados depois de responder o EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire). A tarefa envolveu o pressionamento seqüencial de teclas em duas fases: aquisição (108 tentativas, em três variações da tarefa, exceto os grupos de prática constante, que executaram apenas uma variação) e transferência (imediata e atrasada, cada uma com 12 tentativas). Os participantes foram alocados em seis grupos de prática, formados com a combinação do traço Extroversão/Introversão e a estrutura de prática (constante, blocos e aleatória). As medidas envolveram o erro global, o erro de timing relativo e o erro de timing absoluto. Os resultados indicaram que, além de ter havido aprendizagem da tarefa motora, o desempenho dos introvertidos em relação aos extrovertidos foi melhor no início da aquisição e pior na transferência. Conclui-se que, independentemente da estrutura de prática, as características individuais relativas à Extroversão/Introversão influenciam não só o desempenho, mas também a aprendizagem motora / The knowledge of personal characteristics aids to individualize the way practice is scheduled and information is provided, as well as to selecting better suitable people to carry out certain functions. There is evidence that these individual characteristics, for instance personality traits, might affect the learning of motor skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different practice schedules on the acquisition of a motor skill in extraverts and introverts. 96 undergraduate students were selected after answering the EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire). The task involved a sequential key-press and the design comprised two phases: acquisition (108 trials, at three task variations, except the constant groups, which performed only one variation) and transfer (immediate and delayed, 12 trials each). The participants were allocated in one of six practice groups, formed by the combination of Extraversion/Introversion trait and the practice schedule (constant, blocked and random). Measurement involved global error, relative timing error and absolute timing error. The results showed that, not only did learning occur, but also the performance of introverts, in comparison with extraverts, was higher at the beginning of acquisition and lower on transfer. As a conclusion, regardless of the practice schedule, individual characteristics of Extraversion/Introversion have influence over motor performance, as well as over motor learning

De acordo com o efeito da interferência contextual (EIC), a prática variada aleatória ou prática com alta interferência contextual (abcbcacbabac) proporciona pior desempenho de aquisição, porém melhor transferência e retenção em comparação à prática variada em blocos ou prática com baixa interferência contextual (aaaabbbbcccc). Entretanto, muitas pesquisas não confirmaram totalmente o EIC, o que põe em dúvida a aplicação do princípio no domínio motor. Através de um procedimento metodológico que prolongou a transferência (aumento do número de tentativas), o objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar se o EIC é um fator duradouro, temporário ou inexistente. Trinta e seis escolares do sexo feminino, com idades entre 12 e 14 anos, foram distribuídas em dois grupos de prática variada em função dos resultados de um teste de entrada: grupo aleatório e grupo em blocos. As tarefas de aquisição foram os saques de voleibol por baixo e por cima, a dois alvos afixados no solo. A tarefa de transferência foi o saque japonês a um terceiro alvo. Todos os saques foram executados a cinco metros da rede. O experimento constou de quatro fases: teste de entrada (oito tentativas), fase de aquisição (288 tentativas), fase de transferência (84 tentativas) e fase de retenção (12 tentativas). Os resultados das medidas de precisão e de padrão de movimento mostraram que não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos em nenhum dos blocos do experimento. Logo, a estrutura da prática variada não influiu de forma significante no desempenho da tarefa nova. Ademais, os resultados não deram suporte à hipótese de MAGILL & HALL (1990), segundo a qual o EIC ocorre quando as variações da tarefa pertencem a programas motores diferentes. Ainda, o presente estudo reforçou a tendência de que o EIC não ocorre com crianças e com a utilização de tarefas de campo. / According to the contextual interference effect (CIE), practicing several motor skills under random practice or high contextual interference practice (abcbcacbabac) facilitates retention and transfer in comparison to practicing the same tasks under blocked practice or low contextual interference practice (aaaabbbbcccc). This learning phenomenon has led to a considerable amount of research. However, no definite trend in the results has been found, which makes its acceptance in the motor learning domain questionable. By extending the transfer phase (increasing the number of transfer trials), the aim of this study was to assess whether the CIE is temporary, lasting or non-existent. Accordingly, based on the scores of the pre-test, thirty-six schoolgirls (12 -14 years of age) were allocated to either a blocked or a random group. The acquisition tasks were the underhand and overhand volleyball serves, to two targets placed on the floor. The transfer task was the round house (Asian floater) volleyball serve to a third target. All serves were performed five meters away from the net. The experimental design consisted of four phases: pre-test (eight trials), acquisition (288 trials), transfer (84 trials) and retention (12 trials). The results of precision and movement pattern measures did not provide support to the CIE, since there were no significant statistical differences between the groups in any of the phases. The structure of variable practice did not affect the performance of the new task. Likewise, there was no support to the MAGILL & HALL (1990) hypothesis that, when task variations involve learning of different motor programs, the benefit of random practice over blocked practice would be found. Moreover, the present study reinforced the trend that the CIE does not take place in children as well as with field tasks.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar o efeito do conhecimento sobre a presença da câmera filmadora no desempenho motor avaliado pelo teste de desenvolvimento motor global (TGMD-2; Ulrich, 2000). Participaram da pesquisa 31 escolares do gênero masculino, com idades entre 7 e 9 anos. O questionário de ansiedade traço-estado IDATE-C foi utilizado para avaliar os níveis de ansiedade, antes e durante a realização do teste. As 12 habilidades motoras do TGMD-2 foram executadas em duas situações, com câmera visível e com câmera oculta. Cada participante foi testado nas duas condições, com intervalo de três meses entre elas. Em ambos os momentos de coleta, empregou-se um procedimento de contrabalanceamento da amostra em cada condição. Os testes t para amostras dependentes indicaram que houve diferenças significativas entre as duas condições, com desempenhos melhores para a condição de câmera visível no subteste controle de objeto e no coeficiente motor geral. Não foram encontradas correlações significativas entre ansiedade e desempenho motor. Além disso, em ambas as condições, o teste qui-quadrado apontou frequências maiores no nível muito pobre de coordenação motora grossa em relação aos níveis pobre e abaixo da média. Os resultados foram discutidos com base em teorias de motivação para o desempenho (autodeterminação, fluxo e nível de ativação) / The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of knowledge about the camcorders presence on motor performance assessed by the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2; Ulrich, 2000). Participants were 31 male scholars, ranging from 7 to 9 years of age, who responded the STAI trait-state anxiety questionnaire, before and during the motor test. The 12 motor skills of the TGMD-2 were performed in two conditions: visible and hidden cam. Each participant was tested on both conditions, with a three-month time interval. A procedure of counterbalancing the sample in each condition were used for both moments. T tests for paired samples indicated significant differences between conditions, the performances having been better when the cam was visible in the subtest object control and in the general gross motor quotient. No significant correlations were detected among anxiety and motor performance. Moreover, on both conditions, the chi-square test showed that the level very poor on gross co-ordination were more frequent than the other levels (poor and below average). The findings were discussed through motivation theories about performance (self-determination, flow, and arousal)

The main question of that thesis is on the relevance of using virtual humans to teach complex motor skills. The first study explores the question of the feasibility of learning by imitation of a virtual human by comparing the improvement of the performance on three karate gestures for three groups, namely a traditional class, a video-based group and a virtual reality group. The second study investigates the influence on the learning task of having a self representation in the virtual environment. The participants have a feedback of their movements represented on a mirrored cylindrical gray avatar. The impact of that avatar on the learning task of the participants is assessed by two means. Performance evaluations are performed and give an external perspective on the learning. Evocation interview are also performed to get an insight of the learning task from the participants point of view. Finally, these two studies are completed by a third one investigating the possibility to have an automatic performance evaluator in order to reduce grading discrepancies generated by humans graders. Such a tool would be required to have an objective performance evaluation of all the participants in order to compare the four learning environments presented in that thesis and eventual further iteration of these environments. The conclusion our the studies presented in that thesis are that learning motor skills from the imitation of a virtual human is possible. Consequently, virtual learning environments for motorskills teaching are relevant. Furthermore, these environments can be used in various types of applications. They can be used as a study tool for standard and controlled investigation of teaching by demonstration. They can also be used in an engineering loop for the development of further learning environments and training accelerators. They also have a potential usage in the development of exergames in response to the international obesity crisis

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / PURPOSE:The aims of this study were to i) investigate the relationship between childhood motor skill proficiency and adolescent physical activity participation, cardiorespiratory endurance (fitness) and perceived sports competence, ii) assess the long-term impact of a one year primary school intervention to improve motor skills on physical activity and motor skill proficiency and iii) determine whether the observed relationships varied according to gender.METHODS: The Physical Activity and Skills Study (PASS) followed up participants of a primary school intervention (Move It Groove It - MIGI) to improve motor skill proficiency. Participants were initially assessed in 2000 as part of the intervention. In 2006/07, they were re-assessed for motor skill proficiency and also measured for physical activity level (Adolescent Physical Activity Recall Questionnaire), cardiorespiratory fitness (Multistage Fitness Test) and perceived sports competence (Physical Self-Perception Profile). Composite object control (kick, catch, throw) and locomotor (hop, side gallop, vertical jump) skill scores were constructed for analysis. Linear regressions examined relationships between childhood skill proficiency and adolescent: i) time in physical activity intensities and type, controlling for gender and school grade and ii) cardiorespiratory fitness, controlling for gender. Structural equation modelling was used to determine whether perceived sports competence mediated between childhood object control skill proficiency and subsequent adolescent physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness. A general linear model examined the relationship between being an intervention/control student and time in physical activity adjusting for childhood skill and gender. RESULTS:From 928 original participants in 2000, 481 were located in 28 schools and 276 (57%) were assessed with at least one follow-up measure in 2006/07. Slightly more than half were female (52.4%) with a mean age of 16.4 years (range 14.2 to 18.3 yrs). Childhood object skill proficiency significantly impacted on later skill proficiency, physical activity and fitness, for both genders. Furthermore, perceived sports competence acted as a mediator between childhood object control skill proficiency and subsequent adolescent physical activity and fitness. Locomotor proficiency was not predictive of any outcome variable. Six years after the intervention, participants from the intervention schools still performed better than controls in one object control skill, but were no more active.CONCLUSION: Childhood proficiency in object control skills is an important influence on subsequent positive health-related behaviours and outcomes. Childhood interventions to improve object control skills may have a lasting impact. Results may inform intervention designs to promote physical activity and fitness in youth.

[Truncated astract] Talent Identification (TI) in sports begins by mass screening individuals' motor abilities. du Randt (2000) wrote that, as test items from one country might not necessarily suit another, appropriate basic motor skill test items are important for developing a TI mass screening instrument. Three hundred and thirty Malaysian adolescents aged from 12-15 years were tested on three motor skill test batteries: the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND, McCarron, 1982); the Australian Talent Identification Test (AIS, Australian Sports Commission, 1998); and a Balance and Movement Coordination Test which was specifically developed for this project. In the current research, the motor performance data recorded from the adolescents underwent several types of analyses. Principal Component analyses were conducted on the MAND, AIS and BMC motor skill instruments to understand what the three motor skill instruments were assessing globally in the Malaysian adolescents. Then, first-order and higher-order factor analyses were conducted on the 13 parameters making up the AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to examine the concept of general motor ability (GMA). After descriptive analyses of the adolescents' motor skill performances, age and gender differences were examined using two (gender) by four (age) ANOVAs. Finally, stepwise discriminant function analyses were conducted on a combined AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to determine the best sub-set of motor skills that reliably classified the Malaysian adolescents into three levels of motor performance.... Two stepwise discriminant analyses were undertaken to find the best set of motor skills for classifying Malaysian adolescents into three motor coordination groups based on scores on the MAND and three motor ability groups derived from scores on the motoric 'g'. The ability of a combined AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to classify Malaysian adolescents into the three groups was good for those classified as Normal, not so great for those adolescents classified as High, and poor for those adolescents classified as Low. The motor skills consistently reported across both sets of analyses were Balance-Eyes-Open, Balance-Eyes-Closed, Dynamic Balance, Hopping Speed, Quadrant Jump, Hopping-in-Square, Basketball Throw and Shuttle-Run-with-Object. Hence, motor skills assessing static balance, dynamic balance and postural control appeared to reliably discriminate the Malaysian adolescents into three motor performance groups. Finally, an examination of the misclassifications found in the discriminant analyses revealed two things. Those individuals being predicted into a lower group performed a large number of the motor skills to a lesser standard when compared with their correctly classified cohorts. Conversely, those predicted into a higher group performed a number of motor skills to a standard higher than their correctly classified cohorts. Thus, at a global level, certain individuals could be overlooked for further athletic development and is a concern when developing a rigorous TI program. Therefore, practitioners need to be cautious of any single ability score, and how that represents an individual's athletic potential. These results are discussed, limitations noted, and directions for future research provided.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / PURPOSE:The aims of this study were to i) investigate the relationship between childhood motor skill proficiency and adolescent physical activity participation, cardiorespiratory endurance (fitness) and perceived sports competence, ii) assess the long-term impact of a one year primary school intervention to improve motor skills on physical activity and motor skill proficiency and iii) determine whether the observed relationships varied according to gender.METHODS: The Physical Activity and Skills Study (PASS) followed up participants of a primary school intervention (Move It Groove It - MIGI) to improve motor skill proficiency. Participants were initially assessed in 2000 as part of the intervention. In 2006/07, they were re-assessed for motor skill proficiency and also measured for physical activity level (Adolescent Physical Activity Recall Questionnaire), cardiorespiratory fitness (Multistage Fitness Test) and perceived sports competence (Physical Self-Perception Profile). Composite object control (kick, catch, throw) and locomotor (hop, side gallop, vertical jump) skill scores were constructed for analysis. Linear regressions examined relationships between childhood skill proficiency and adolescent: i) time in physical activity intensities and type, controlling for gender and school grade and ii) cardiorespiratory fitness, controlling for gender. Structural equation modelling was used to determine whether perceived sports competence mediated between childhood object control skill proficiency and subsequent adolescent physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness. A general linear model examined the relationship between being an intervention/control student and time in physical activity adjusting for childhood skill and gender. RESULTS:From 928 original participants in 2000, 481 were located in 28 schools and 276 (57%) were assessed with at least one follow-up measure in 2006/07. Slightly more than half were female (52.4%) with a mean age of 16.4 years (range 14.2 to 18.3 yrs). Childhood object skill proficiency significantly impacted on later skill proficiency, physical activity and fitness, for both genders. Furthermore, perceived sports competence acted as a mediator between childhood object control skill proficiency and subsequent adolescent physical activity and fitness. Locomotor proficiency was not predictive of any outcome variable. Six years after the intervention, participants from the intervention schools still performed better than controls in one object control skill, but were no more active.CONCLUSION: Childhood proficiency in object control skills is an important influence on subsequent positive health-related behaviours and outcomes. Childhood interventions to improve object control skills may have a lasting impact. Results may inform intervention designs to promote physical activity and fitness in youth.