A cross-sectional predictive study of 290 secondary school students has established that physical literacy plays a critical role in shaping perceived motor competence during early adolescence. Published in BMC Public Health by researchers Sultan Uygun and Özden Tepeköylü-Öztürk, the investigation revealed that students engaging in regular physical activity displayed significantly higher levels of both physical literacy and perceived motor competence. Furthermore, the statistical analyses showed that the psychological domain of physical literacy significantly predicted locomotor movement skills, while object control skills were considerably predicted by the psychological and physical domains together.
The study was framed around physical literacy, an area increasingly emphasised within health promotion that incorporates motor competence as a key predictor of lifelong physical activity. Building directly upon this conceptual foundation, the authors aimed to analyse the predictive role of physical literacy on perceived motor competence among secondary school students. The investigators also sought to examine differences in perceptions of physical literacy and motor competence based on student participation in physical activity. Additionally, the inquiry was designed to evaluate the relationships connecting body mass index, the duration of physical activity among participating students, and physical activity experience.
Conducted during the 2022–2023 academic year, the research evaluated a sample of 290 secondary school students with a mean age of 12.90 years and a standard deviation of 0.93 years. Data collection utilized three distinct measurement forms, namely the Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth, known as PLAY, the Perceived Motor Competence Inventory for Children, and a Personal Information Form. These tools enabled the researchers to collect structured data covering personal background characteristics, students’ self-perceptions of motor competence, and measurements across the physical and psychological domains of physical literacy.
To evaluate these factors, the authors implemented multiple analytical procedures. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the predictive roles of the psychological and physical domains of physical literacy on perceived motor competence. To compare physical literacy and perceived motor competence according to physical activity participation status, the researchers employed multivariate analysis of variance, known as MANOVA, alongside independent-samples t-tests. In addition, Pearson correlation analyses were carried out to examine their associations with body mass index, physical activity duration among those participating in physical activity, and physical activity experience.
The regression models revealed distinct predictive relationships across different movement skill categories. Specifically, the psychological domain of physical literacy significantly predicted locomotor movement skills. In contrast, object control skills were considerably predicted by both the psychological and physical domains operating together. Group comparisons further demonstrated that secondary school students who engaged in regular physical activity displayed significantly higher levels of both physical literacy and perceived motor competence compared to peers without regular participation.
The correlational analyses provided additional insight into how body metrics and activity history correspond to student perceptions. The study found that lower body mass index values were associated with higher perceived motor competence across the evaluated cohort. In addition, the experience of physical activity was found to be related to the psychological domain dimension of physical literacy, identifying a measurable connection between past physical activity engagement and psychological literacy dimensions.
In their conclusion, the authors stated that these results explicitly revealed that physical literacy played a critical role in shaping children’s perceptions of motor competence, emphasizing the significance of supporting active and healthy lifestyles in early adolescence. Because the research utilized a cross-sectional predictive design conducted across a single academic year, the findings reflect observed statistical associations and predictive models rather than longitudinal changes or causal effects. The scope of the findings remains grounded in the evaluated sample of 290 secondary school students, illustrating the predictive contributions of psychological and physical domains to perceived motor competence.
Subject of Research: The predictive role of physical literacy on perceived motor competence in secondary school students
Article Title: The role of physical literacy in determining perceived motor competence in secondary school students
Article References: Uygun, S., & Tepeköylü-Öztürk, Ö. (2026). The role of physical literacy in determining perceived motor competence in secondary school students. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-30254-7
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-30254-7
Keywords: physical literacy, motor competence, secondary school students, physical activity, body mass index, cross-sectional study, health promotion, early adolescence, role, physical, literacy, determining
News Source: Ophelia Keating. (November 8, 2026). Physical literacy predicts motor competence in teens. Scienmag.
