Effects of structured and unstructured interventions on fundamental motor skills in preschool children: a meta-analysis

Delong Chen; Guanggao Zhao; Jinmei Fu; Sunli Shun; Liqiang Su; Zihao He; Ruiming Chen; Tianle Jiang; Xuewen Hu; Yunong Li; Fanchao Shen

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1345566

Effects of structured and unstructured interventions on fundamental motor skills in preschool children: a meta-analysis

Front Public Health. 2024 Jun 27:12:1345566. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1345566. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Delong Chen¹, Guanggao Zhao¹, Jinmei Fu², Sunli Shun², Liqiang Su³, Zihao He⁴, Ruiming Chen¹, Tianle Jiang¹, Xuewen Hu¹, Yunong Li¹, Fanchao Shen¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
² Jiangxi Sports Science and Medicine Center, Nanchang, China.
³ Physical Education College, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China.
⁴ School of Sports and Human Sciences, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Background: It has been suggested that higher levels of fundamental motor skills (FMS) promote the physical health of preschool-aged children. The impacts of structured and unstructured interventions on FMS in children aged 10-16 years have been widely acknowledged in previous studies. However, there is a lack of relevant studies in preschool-aged children.

Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of structured and unstructured interventions on FMS in preschool-aged children.

Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception to 1 November 2023 to identify experiments describing structured and unstructured interventions for FMS in preschool-aged children. The Downs and Black Checklist was used to assess the risk of bias. A random effects model was used for the meta-analysis to evaluate the pooled effects of interventions on FMS. Subgroup analyses based on the duration and characteristics of the intervention were conducted to identify sources of heterogeneity.

Results: A total of 23 studies with 4,068 participants were included. There were 12 studies examining structured interventions, 9 studies examining unstructured interventions, and 6 studies comparing structured vs. unstructured interventions. The risk of bias in the included studies was generally low. All interventions significantly improved FMS in preschool-aged children compared to control treatments (p < 0.05). Structured interventions had more significant effects on locomotor skills (LMSs) in preschool-aged children than unstructured interventions (Hedges' g = 0.44, p = 0.04). The effects of structured interventions were strongly influenced by the total intervention duration, such that long-term interventions were more effective (Hedge's g = 1.29, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Structured interventions play a crucial role in enhancing FMS among young children, especially when considering LMSs. These interventions require consistent and repeated practice over time to reach proficiency.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier number CRD42023475088, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023475088.

Keywords: fundamental motor skills; meta-analysis; preschool children; structured; unstructured.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Male
Motor Skills* / physiology

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China (21BTY088), the 14th Five-Year Plan of Social Science in Jiangxi Province (22TY20D), the Special Project for Postgraduate Student Innovation in Jiangxi Province (YC2021-S024), and the Special Project for Postgraduate Student Innovation in Jiangxi Province (YC2022-S031).