The moderating role of health status and gender in the relationship between perceived athletic competence and physical activity in children

Abstract

Objective: To examine the moderating role of health status and gender in the relationship between perceived athletic competence (PAC) and physical activity (PA) in children. Study design: A cross-sectional, quantitative study involving 203 children (89 girls / 114 boys), aged 7-11 years, including 58 children with a congenital heart defect (CHD), and 145 healthy children. The children with a CHD were part of a follow-up program of a children’s hospital in the Netherlands. The healthy children were recruited from mainstream primary schools in the Netherlands. PAC was assessed with the subscale ‘athletic competence’ of the ‘Competentie Belevingsschaal voor Kinderen’ (CBSK). PA was measured using a single-item questionnaire where children reported the number of days per week they were at least 60 minutes physically active. Results: A linear regression analysis between PAC and PA in the total sample was statistically significant, F (1, 201) = 14.77, p < .001. Health status (CHD / healthy children) and gender (boys / girls) did not moderate in the relationship between PAC and PA. Conclusion: Our study revealed a significant positive relationship between PAC and PA in children. However, neither health status (children with a CHD and healthy children) nor gender moderated this relationship. Therefore, orthopedagogues and healthcare professionals can enhance PA through PAC without taking gender or the presence of a CHD into account.