Abstracts Category : Other

The mother-child relationship between motor skills and physical activity

by Emma DePasquale

Physical activity (PA) can promote health benefits for both children and adults. Important factors that encourage PA levels include fundamental motor skills (FMS), and parental PA patterns. Children who are more proficient at their FMS, tend to be more physically active. Parents who are more physically active, also have children who are more active. The purpose of this study was to examine the parent-child relationship between FMS and PA. The results indicate that dynamic balance in mothers could influence the FMS of their children. In addition, mother PA was not related to child PA engagement. Yet, dynamic balance in mothers influenced their own self-reported PA and when the boys and girls were analyzed separately, the children???s FMS were related to their pedometer-determined PA. The results indicate that mothers can influence the FMS of their children; however, not their PA engagement. Although some aspects of this study did not indicate a relationship between mothers and their children, this could indicate that the mother-child relationship may not be biologically driven. If parents provide opportunity, experience and access, their children may be able to be proficient at their FMS and live a physically active lifestyle.Advisors/Committee Members: Lloyd, Meghann.