The pictorial scale of perceived movement skill competence: determining content and construct validity for Brazilian children

The pictorial scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC) was developed to assess young children’s perceptions of competence in fundamental motor skills (FMS) and in active play. The objectives of the present study were to assess validity and reliability with Brazilian children. Nineteen health-related professionals and, 331 children (4 to 8 years-old) were enrolled in the study. Kappa concordance coefficient, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), polychoric correlations and confirmatory factor analyses were used. The back-reverse translation prevents the bias of a single translation. Experts and professionals confirmed the clarity and pertinence of the items with high agreement scores (values > .90). Test-retest reliability results showed strong ICC (values > .90). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient showed good internal consistency (α values from .70 to .85). The CFA showed appropriate fit indexes for a three-factor model (i.e. six object control, six locomotion and six active play items) and a two-factor model (i.e. 12 FMS and six active play items). However the two-factor model showed superior indexes (χ2/DF = 3.1; RMSEA = .06; GFI = .90; CFI = .91; AIC = 485.8). The PMSC is a valid and reliable assessment to use in Brazil.