Psychometric analysis of muscular fitness tests and proposal of a test battery for Physical Education in Primary Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v63.107564Keywords:
muscular strength, asessment, health, children, Elementary SchoolAbstract
Introduction and Objectives: Physical inactivity and low levels of muscular fitness are increasingly common among children and adolescents, especially following the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This highlights the need to assess muscular fitness as a component of physical fitness linked to health in this population. However, there is no exclusive battery of tests adapted to Physical Education classes. Therefore, this study conducts a psychometric analysis of different tests to evaluate muscular fitness in children aged 6 to 12 years and proposes an integral battery adapted to the school context.
Methodology: A review of muscular fitness tests was conducted, considering systematic reviews and meta-analyses from the last 20 years. Out of the initial 28 tests, 14 met the validity and reliability criteria after a research in various databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. These 14 tests were subsequently evaluated based on their validity, reliability, cost-effectiveness for the school context, and inclusive adaptability. Finally, 6 tests were selected as integral (≥0.75).
Results: An integral battery consisting of 6 tests is proposed: handgrip strength, standing long jump, push-ups, two-legged squats, curl-up abdominal test, and medicine ball throw.
Conclusion: The proposed battery facilitates the assessment of muscular fitness in children, enabling teachers to design adapted programs, monitor progress, and promote health awareness.
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