Background: Healthy development of children is under pressure. While governments, schools and organizations are trying to stimulate physical activity in children, reduce overweight and improve motor skills, they are facing challenges in finding effective strategies. The model proposed by Stodden et al. (2008) is an interesting framework for studying healthy development of children, as it encompasses the physical aspect (motor skill competence, physical fitness, weight status), the mental aspect (perceived competence) and a behavioral component (physical activity). Importantly, it acknowledges the developmental stages of children by including age. Therefore, this model serves as the basis for this study in which we are looking for insights to effectively influence healthy development of children. Methods and Results: We measured these five variables in a large sample (N > 1000) of children in the Netherlands (age: 4-12, 50% girls). Through structural equation modeling we searched for cross-sectional as well as 1-year longitudinal relationships. Our results showed concurrent relationships between all variables and a tipping point at which relationships emerged or strengthened. The results indicated that targeting motor competence at a young age might be a feasible way to ensure continued participation in physical activities. However, longitudinal analyses revealed no effect of motor skill competence (T1) on physical activity (T2). Physical fitness appeared to be more important as a potential mediator than perceived motor competence. As a follow-up study, the five variables will be analyzed via a person-centered approach (latent profile analyses). This will guide us towards tailoring future interventions to the specific needs of subgroups of children. Analyses of this study are ongoing and will be presented at the conference. Conclusions: Our multiple analyses have shed additional light on the complexity of healthy development of children. In the upcoming presentation we will unite our study findings and delineate implications for developing effective strategies.
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In this Masterclass we will discuss factors to consider when critically appraising standardised assessments and outcome measures for practice and research. This includes the assessments’ purpose, content and level of measurement, the adequacy of standardisation, and evidence of validity, reliability, and clinical utility. Several websites and resources to support your critical appraisal will be shared.The Masterclass is being delivered by Professor Alison Laver-Fawcett, Professor in Occupational Therapy at York St John University and Chair of ROTOS, and Emeritus Professor Diane Cox, co-authors of the textbook Principles of Assessment and Outcome Measurement for Allied Health Professionals: Practice, Research and Development, and Dr Margo van Hartingsveldt, Associate Professor, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Both Alison and Margo have experience in developing and standardising occupational therapy assessments, including the development of assessments during their PhD studies.
This article describes the translation and cultural adaptation process of the WRITIC (Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context) into European Portuguese. We examined the content and convergent validity, test-retest, and interrater reliability on the norm-referenced subdomain of the Portuguese (PT) WRITIC Task Performance (TP). To establish content validity, we consulted six experts in handwriting. Internal consistency was found with 70 children, test-retest reliability with 65, inter-rater reliability with 69, and convergent validity with 87. All participants were typically developing kindergarten children. Convergent validity was examined with the Beery–Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery™VMI-6) and the Nine Hole Peg-Test (9-HPT). On content validity, we found an agreement of 93%, a good internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.72, and an excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliability with ICCs of 0.88 and 0.93. Correlations with Beery™VMI-6 and 9-HPT were moderate (r from 0.39 to 0.65). Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of WRITIC into European Portuguese was successful. WRITIC-PT-TP is stable over time and between raters; it has excellent internal consistency and moderate correlations with Beery™VMI-6 and 9-HPT. This analysis of the European Portuguese version of WRITIC gives us the confidence to start the implementation process of WRITIC-PT in Portugal.
In summer 2020, part of a quay wall in Amsterdam collapsed, and in 2010, construction for a parking lot in Amsterdam was hindered by old sewage lines. New sustainable electric systems are being built on top of the foundations of old windmills, in places where industry thrived in the 19th century. All these examples have one point in common: They involve largely unknown and invisible historic underground structures in a densely built historic city. We argue that truly circular building practices in old cities require smart interfaces that allow the circular use of data from the past when planning the future. The continuous use and reuse of the same plots of land stands in stark contrast with the discontinuity and dispersed nature of project-oriented information. Construction and data technology improves, but information about the past is incomplete. We have to break through the lack of historic continuity of data to make building practices truly circular. Future-oriented construction in Amsterdam requires historic knowledge and continuous documentation of interventions and findings over time. A web portal will bring together a range of diverse public and private, professional and citizen stakeholders, each with their own interests and needs. Two creative industry stakeholders, Yume interactive (Yume) and publisher NAI010, come together to work with a major engineering office (Witteveen+Bos), the AMS Institute, the office of Engineering of the Municipality of Amsterdam, UNESCO NL and two faculties of Delft University of Technology (Architecture and Computer Science) to inventorize historic datasets on the Amsterdam underground. The team will connect all the relevant stakeholders to develop a pilot methodology and a web portal connecting historic data sets for use in contemporary and future design. A book publication will document the process and outcomes, highlighting the need for circular practices that tie past, present and future.
