The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children
Research has demonstrated positive relationships between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and mathematics achievement in children, and this relationship may be mediated by spatial ability. Engaging in physical activity (PA) may also have positive outcomes on mathematics achievement; however, no stu...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Intelligence |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/12/2/22 |
| _version_ | 1797297785782927360 |
|---|---|
| author | Jessica Scott Tim Jay Christopher M. Spray |
| author_facet | Jessica Scott Tim Jay Christopher M. Spray |
| author_sort | Jessica Scott |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research has demonstrated positive relationships between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and mathematics achievement in children, and this relationship may be mediated by spatial ability. Engaging in physical activity (PA) may also have positive outcomes on mathematics achievement; however, no study has investigated this network of relationships together. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PA and mathematics achievement, and the mediating effects of FMS and spatial abilities, in primary school children. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 182 children (aged 7 to 8 years old) across four schools in England. Objective moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels and subjective parental reports of their children’s PA participation were collected. Children’s FMS were assessed, along with their performance on four spatial ability tasks and a mathematics test. Mediation analyses revealed no significant mediation effects of FMS and spatial abilities on the positive significant relationship between MVPA and mathematics achievement; however, spatial ability partially mediated the relationship between FMS and mathematics achievement. These results suggest that FMS and spatial ability may not be related to MVPA in this network of relationships, but children with more mature FMS perform better in mathematics due to them performing better on specific spatial ability tasks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:26:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a81090ae4b54169ab4a388454e95321 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-3200 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:26:23Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Intelligence |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a81090ae4b54169ab4a388454e953212024-02-23T15:22:49ZengMDPI AGJournal of Intelligence2079-32002024-02-011222210.3390/jintelligence12020022The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School ChildrenJessica Scott0Tim Jay1Christopher M. Spray2School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UKSchool of Education, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UKSchool of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UKResearch has demonstrated positive relationships between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and mathematics achievement in children, and this relationship may be mediated by spatial ability. Engaging in physical activity (PA) may also have positive outcomes on mathematics achievement; however, no study has investigated this network of relationships together. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PA and mathematics achievement, and the mediating effects of FMS and spatial abilities, in primary school children. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 182 children (aged 7 to 8 years old) across four schools in England. Objective moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels and subjective parental reports of their children’s PA participation were collected. Children’s FMS were assessed, along with their performance on four spatial ability tasks and a mathematics test. Mediation analyses revealed no significant mediation effects of FMS and spatial abilities on the positive significant relationship between MVPA and mathematics achievement; however, spatial ability partially mediated the relationship between FMS and mathematics achievement. These results suggest that FMS and spatial ability may not be related to MVPA in this network of relationships, but children with more mature FMS perform better in mathematics due to them performing better on specific spatial ability tasks.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/12/2/22physical activitymathematics achievementfundamental movement skills (FMS)spatial ability |
| spellingShingle | Jessica Scott Tim Jay Christopher M. Spray The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children Journal of Intelligence physical activity mathematics achievement fundamental movement skills (FMS) spatial ability |
| title | The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children |
| title_full | The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children |
| title_short | The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children |
| title_sort | role of fundamental movement skills and spatial abilities in the relationship between physical activity and mathematics achievement in primary school children |
| topic | physical activity mathematics achievement fundamental movement skills (FMS) spatial ability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/12/2/22 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jessicascott theroleoffundamentalmovementskillsandspatialabilitiesintherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandmathematicsachievementinprimaryschoolchildren AT timjay theroleoffundamentalmovementskillsandspatialabilitiesintherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandmathematicsachievementinprimaryschoolchildren AT christophermspray theroleoffundamentalmovementskillsandspatialabilitiesintherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandmathematicsachievementinprimaryschoolchildren AT jessicascott roleoffundamentalmovementskillsandspatialabilitiesintherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandmathematicsachievementinprimaryschoolchildren AT timjay roleoffundamentalmovementskillsandspatialabilitiesintherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandmathematicsachievementinprimaryschoolchildren AT christophermspray roleoffundamentalmovementskillsandspatialabilitiesintherelationshipbetweenphysicalactivityandmathematicsachievementinprimaryschoolchildren |