An Evaluation of the Sharing Dance Public School Program on Physical Literacy.

Physical literacy (PL) is a multidimensional concept that includes the domains of movement competence, positive affect, social participation, and the confidence, motivation, and knowledge and understanding necessary for regular engagement in physical activity. The was created by Canada's National Ballet School specifically designed to promote PL through dance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program to improve PL in grade 4 to 6 children over the course of a school year.

Feasibility and Utility of a Fitbit Tracker Among Ambulatory Children and Youth With Disabilities.

Purpose: To examine the feasibility and utility of the Fitbit Charge HR to estimate physical activity among ambulatory children and youth with disabilities.

Method: Participants (4-17 y old) with disabilities were recruited and asked to wear a Fitbit for 28 days. Feasibility was assessed as the number of participants who adhered to the 28-day protocol.

Program evaluation of a virtual physical activity program for individuals with disabilities.

Introduction: Regular physical activity is important for positive health outcomes yet, most individuals do not meet physical activity guidelines. Recent studies show that one in five Canadians aged 15 or older have one or more disabilities, yet as a population, individuals with disabilities are 16%-62% less likely to meet physical activity guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional barriers to physical activity participation as lockdowns prevented in-person programming.

A cross-sectional study of Canadian children's valuation of literacies across social contexts.

Background: Children, on average, do not engage in sufficient physical activity to reap the physical, mental, and social health benefits. Understanding the value that children place on movement across social contexts, and the relative ranking of this valuation, may help us to understand and intervene on activity levels.

Method: This exploratory study examined the valuation of reading/writing, math, and movement across three social contexts (school, home, with friends) among children 6-13 years of age (= 7,845; 51.

Examining long-term motivational and behavioral outcomes of two physical activity interventions.

Objective: To examine possible impacts of two theory-based interventions - "Enhancing quality of life through exercise: A tele-rehabilitation approach (TEQ) and Active Living Lifestyles for individuals with SCI who use Wheelchair (ALLWheel)" - 12-18 months post-intervention on the satisfaction of psychological needs and motivation for leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), LTPA participation, and participation experience.

Design: A mixed-methods follow-up study.

Setting: Community.

Examining the Acute Effects of Classroom-Based Physical Activity Breaks on Executive Functioning in 11- to 14-Year-Old Children: Single and Additive Moderation Effects of Physical Fitness.

Research supports the efficacy of acute, classroom-based, physical activity breaks on executive functioning in children. However, research pertaining to the effect of physical fitness on the acute physical activity-executive functioning relationship remains limited. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of classroom-based, teacher-delivered, physical activity breaks on executive functioning in 11-14-year-old children.

Examining the Effects of Acute Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity on Cognition in Children.

Cognitively engaging physical activity (PA) has been suggested to have superior effects on cognition compared to PA with low cognitive demands; however, there have been few studies directly comparing these different types of activities. The aim of this study is to compare the cognitive effects of a combined physically and cognitively engaging bout of PA to a physical or cognitive activity alone in children. Children were randomized in pairs to one of three 20-min conditions: (1) a cognitive sedentary activity; (2) a non-cognitively engaging PA; and a (3) cognitively engaging PA.

Baseline behaviour moderates movement skill intervention outcomes among young children with autism spectrum disorder.

It is common for children with autism spectrum disorder to experience delays in their movement skills. These skills are important for participation in play and physical activity. Previous research has found that movement skills can be improved with movement skill interventions.

The Impact of Participation in the Olympics on Post-olympic Performance in Professional Ice Hockey Players.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Games were the last Winter Olympics where NHL players were allowed to compete. One explanation for prohibiting NHL players from participating in the Winter Olympics is a perceived negative impact on their performance post-Olympics, owing to the additional fatigue of participating. The purpose of this study was to explore whether participation in the 2014 Sochi Winter Games negatively impacted individual NHL player performance post-Olympics.

Acute Effects of an Afterschool Running and Reading Program on Executive Functioning in Children: An Exploratory Study.

Emerging research within school settings suggests acute forms of physical activity and exercise lead to improvements in executive functioning among children. However, research pertaining to these effects within the afterschool setting remains limited. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of a community-based afterschool running and reading program on executive functioning in 8 to 12-year-old children.

Psychometric properties and construct validity of PLAYself: a self-reported measure of physical literacy for children and youth.

PLAYself is a tool designed for self-description of physical literacy in children and youth. We examined the tool using both the Rasch model and Classical Test Theory to explore its psychometric properties. A random selection of 300 children aged 8-14 years (47.

Factors Associated with Participation in Physical Activity Among Canadian School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

We have a limited understanding of the socioenvironmental factors associated with participation in physical activity among school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly regarding how the school environment may influence their participation. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework, this study examined the effect of body functions and structure, activity, and personal factors on in-school physical activity; and whether in-school physical activity, considered a socioenvironmental factor, is associated with out-of-school physical activity (i.e.

The Acceptability and Feasibility of a Preschool Intervention Targeting Motor, Social, and Emotional Development.

Children and youth are facing three major challenges: (1) poor mental health, (2) physical inactivity, and (3) lack of school readiness. Fundamental movement skills (FMS) and social-emotional learning (SEL) are two developmental domains that are associated with each of these challenges. Currently, there is little focus on interventions that target both FMS and SEL.

Effect of Acute Exercise on Prefrontal Oxygenation and Inhibitory Control Among Male Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study.

: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant challenges in executive functioning. Emerging evidence suggests exercise may improve executive functioning among children; however, these effects and their mechanisms have not been fully explored among children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to explore the acute effect of exercise on cerebral oxygenation within the prefrontal cortex and inhibitory control among male children with ASD.

Outcomes and Feasibility of a 12-Week Physical Literacy Intervention for Children in an Afterschool Program.

Children ( = 90) from eight afterschool programs ( = 4 experimental sites with 47 children; = 4 control sites with 43 children), along with the program leaders ( = 7) from the experimental sites, participated in a 12-week physical literacy intervention. Children were assessed on their physical literacy (movement competence, affect, confidence, and motivation) pre- and post-intervention using a suite of assessment tools that included the PLAYfun assessment of movement competence and a comprehensive child questionnaire. Experimental participants engaged in a daily physical literacy intervention at their afterschool program; controls engaged in their usual afterschool programming.

Adaptive Behavior Moderates Health-Related Pathways in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating role of adaptive behavior on the pathways connecting motor competence, physical activity, and health-related fitness in 7-12 year old children with ASD (N = 27). Results demonstrate that motor competence and health-related fitness were positively related (r = .42, p < .

The Association Between PLAYfun and Physical Activity: A Convergent Validation Study.

: The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent validity of the PLAYfun tool, a physical literacy-based measure of movement competence, by examining its association with objectively measured physical activity in a sample of children and youth. : Participants included 110 children between the ages of seven to 14 years attending a stratified random sample of 27 afterschool programs across the province of Ontario, Canada. The PLAYfun tool was administered to the participants on one occasion at their afterschool program and then they were asked to wear a pedometer for seven consecutive days to measure their physical activity levels.

Reliable and Feasible Fitness Testing for Children on the Autism Spectrum.

: This study examined the test-retest reliability and feasibility of select fitness assessments in 7-12 year old children on the autism spectrum. : Participants ( = 14; = 1 female; Mage = 9.5 ± 1.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of physically active classrooms on educational and enjoyment outcomes in school age children.

Objectives: Despite the relationship between physical activity (PA) and learning outcomes, the school system has not been able to support the inclusion of PA throughout the day. A solution to this problem integrates PA into the academic classroom. The objective of this review is to determine the impact of active classrooms compared to traditional sedentary classrooms on educational outcomes of school-aged children.

The Interrelationship Between Motor Coordination and Adaptive Behavior in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant challenges with their motor coordination. It is not, however, well understood how motor coordination may impact the behavioral functioning of children with ASD. Therefore the purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between motor coordination and adaptive behavior in 7-12-year-old children with ASD.

A program evaluation of an in-school daily physical activity initiative for children and youth.

Background: The school system is one setting in which children's physical activity levels may be increased through daily physical activity (DPA) policies and initiatives. Adherence to DPA policies is typically poor and results are limited in regard to the associated benefits for participating children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate a range of psychosocial outcomes following a community-led, in-school DPA initiative for 9-14 year old children and youth.

Are Canadian-born Major League Baseball players more likely to bat left-handed? A partial test of the hockey-influence on batting hypothesis.

It has been suggested that Canadian-born Major League Baseball (MLB) players are more likely to bat left-handed, possibly owing to the fact that they learn to play ice hockey before baseball, and that there is no clear hand-preference when shooting with a hockey stick; approximately half of all ice hockey players shoot left. We constructed a database on active (i.e.

Evaluation of a Direct-Instruction Intervention to Improve Movement and Preliteracy Skills among Young Children: A Within-Subject Repeated-Measures Design.

Objective: School readiness involves the development of foundational skills such as emergent literacy and fundamental movement skills as well as the capacity to attentively engage in instructional situations. Children do not develop these skills naturally; therefore, they need the opportunity to develop these skills in their early years prior to entering school. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of a direct-instruction movement and preliteracy intervention in children aged 3-4 years.

A Construct Validation Study of PLAYfun.

Introduction: Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth (PLAYfun) is a measure of motor competence, comprehension, and confidence which is part of a suite of scales used to assess physical literacy in children and youth; however, its measurement properties have not been reported in the published literature. The purpose of this study is to examine the factor structure of PLAYfun, in addition to variations in PLAYfun subscale results by age and sex.

Method: In this study, we use a sample of children and youth 7 to 14 yr of age (n = 215) to test a proposed factor structure for the motor competence component of PLAYfun and to examine age and sex differences in subscale and total scores.

A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Movement and Preliteracy Program for 3- and 4-Year-Old Children.

Objective: Approximately 28% of children are not ready for kindergarten, 91% are inactive according to current guidelines, and 21% are overweight/obese. Early intervention to strengthen movement and preliteracy skills may help to curb the concerning rates of poor school readiness, inactivity, obesity, and subsequently positively impact health across the lifespan. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a motor and preliteracy skill program for a community sample of 3- to 4-year-old children.