Matthew Kwan

Brock University

Objectives To examine the effect of cumulative prenatal risk factors (RFs) on the presence of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in young children. Methods Participants (N = 589, 338 boys, Mage = 4.5 ± 0.5 years) were from a larger cohort study, the Coordination and Activity Tracking in Children (CATCH). Motor coordination was assessed usin...

Introduction The golden section or golden ratio (61.8% or 0.618) is a mathematical phenomenon that appears in art, literature, music and nature with such ubiquity that it is thought to be a fundamental principle of aesthetic organisation. The golden ratio also manifests in sport, particularly as the proportion of wins to losses required to win a Ma...

Background The burden of childhood obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors affecting newcomer Canadians living in lower socioeconomic circumstances is a concerning public health issue. This paper describes Strengthening Community Roots : Anchoring Newcomers in Wellness and Sustainability ( SCORE! ), an academic-community research partnership to co...

Objectives Reliable measurements of health‐related fitness—cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, body composition, and flexibility—are imperative for understanding and tracking health‐related fitness from the preschool age. This study aimed to examine the test–retest reliability of field‐based (i.e., sit and reach [sta...

Researchers have adopted a variety of analytical techniques to examine the collective influence of 24-hour movement behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviors, sleep) on mental health, but efforts to synthesize this growing body of literature have been limited to studies of children and youth. This systematic review investigated how co...

Quality sport experiences may be a key underlying mechanism through which continued sport participation may facilitate positive youth development. However, what constitutes a quality sport experience for youth is poorly understood due to a lack of comprehensiveness among existing measures. This study aimed to identify the salient factors that const...

BACKGROUND: The burden of childhood obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors affecting newcomer Canadians living in lower socioeconomic circumstances is a concerning public health issue. This paper describes StrengtheningCommunity Roots: Anchoring Newcomers in Wellness and Sustainability (SCORE!), an academic-community research partnership to co-de...

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by executive dysfunction. Physical activity (PA) may improve executive dysfunction; however, specific barriers and facilitators to PA participation for adults with ADHD have not been formally documented, which was the aim of the present study. Thirty adul...

Background: Physical Literacy (PL) is a synthesis construct that ties together movement competencies with affective, motivational, and knowledge-based elements. It is considered foundational to the development of physical activity-related outcomes. Many diverse organizations and programs have embraced the concept and are implementing programs targ...

Background: Recent work has shown that individuals with chronic health conditions and disabilities (CCD) meet the 24-h movement guidelines at lower rates than population norms; however, the evidence base remains limited across different stages of the lifespan and very few studies have examined associations with mental health outcomes. Objective:...

The present video reports the most recent findings of the development of a physical literacy interventions reporting template (PLIRT) Carl, J., Barratt, J., Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K., Barnett, L.M., Dudley, D.A., Holler, P.,... Cairney, J. (2023). Development, explanation, and presentation of the Physical Literacy Interventions Reporting Template (P...

Background The physical literacy (PL) concept integrates different personal (e.g., physical, cognitive, psychological/affective, social) determinants of physical activity and has received growing attention recently. Although practical efforts increasingly adopt PL as a guiding concept, latest evidence has shown that PL interventions often lack spec...

Aim Some studies have reported that children with poor motor functioning tend to improve over time. However, much existing research does not account for regression towards the mean (RTM). Here, we examine measurement stability among 589 children aged 4–5 years. Method We administered the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd Edition annuall...

The multi-process action control model (M-PAC) is an integrative model specifically designed to evaluate intention-behaviour gaps. To date, however, the processes through which intentions are translated into action have largely been underexplored among adolescents. The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the distribution of intention-be...

Purpose of Review Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have consistently been found to be at higher risk of physical inactivity, as they tend to have deficits or difficulties performing the complex motor skills required for participation. Consequently, children with DCD have also been found to be at greater risk for cardiorespira...

Background Emerging adulthood is a stressful time fraught with new challenges while attending higher education. Identifying protective factors to help reduce the psychological burden that many will experience during this period is therefore important. This study aimed to identify whether emerging adults attending post-secondary education can be cla...

Despite accumulating evidence that has found significant negative declines in physical activity (PA) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, little work has sought to understand how PA cognitions have changed during this period and in relation to behavior change during the pandemic. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the changes in a...

Purpose Increased adiposity in children confers a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, with low cardiorespiratory fitness strongly linked to poorer metabolic health. Children with motor coordination problems are likely to be less physically fit and at a higher risk of obesity. In this study, we examined the associations between aero...

The aim of this study was to apply the Multi-Process Action Control model to examine how the additions of regulatory and reflexive processes predict physical activity (PA) behaviors among adolescents. Our sample included 1,176 Grade 11 students ( M age = 15.85 ± 0.38) recruited from a large school board in Southern Ontario. Participants completed a...

Movement behaviors have been found to be important correlates of health for children and may be particularly important for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) who often experience greater mental health problems. To date, however, little research has investigated the daily movement composition of preschool children with Developme...

Background: Studies have shown reallocating screen time for healthy movement behaviors such as physical activity and sleep can provide important benefits for mental health. However, the focus on positive aspects of mental health such as wellbeing has received limited attention, particularly among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examin...

Background: Research has established beneficial associations between 24-hour movement guideline adherence and several health outcomes in typically developing (TD) children, but these relationships are poorly understood in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). This study examined (1) 24-hour movement guideline adherence, (2) the influen...

Purpose The objective of this meta-analysis was to provide a quantitative synthesis of the effects of studies evaluating developmentally appropriate programs or interventions for transition-age youth with mental health disorders. Methods Studies, between January 1992 and March 2021, were included if they contained a sample population with a median...

Movement behaviours have been found to be important correlates of health for children and may be particularly important for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) who often experience greater mental health problems. To date, however, little research has investigated the daily movement composition of preschool children with Developm...

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a long-term health condition with an unpredictable pattern of symptomatic episodes, remission, and recurrence. Recently published systematic reviews suggest that exercise is the most effective intervention for preventing recurrences of LBP in persons that have recovered. Similar programs may also be effective in pr...

Introduction New Canadian 24-Hour movement guidelines for adults recommend several hours of light physical activity each day, 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) including muscle strengthening activities at least twice a week, no more than 8 hours of sedentary time and 3 hours of recreational screen time each day, and...

Introduction Selon les nouvelles Directives canadiennes en matière de mouvement sur 24 heures à l’intention des adultes, les adultes devraient pratiquer plusieurs heures d’activité physique légère chaque jour, faire 150 minutes d’activité physique d’intensité moyenne à élevée (APIME) par semaine, dont des activités de renforcement musculaire au moi...

Background: Research has established beneficial associations between 24-hour movement guideline adherence and several health outcomes in typically developing (TD) children, but these relationships are poorly understood in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). This study examined: (1) 24-hour movement guideline adherence; (2) the influen...

Background: Studies have shown reallocating screen time for healthy movement behaviours such as physical activity and sleep can provide important benefits for mental health. However, the focus on positive aspects of mental health such as wellbeing has received limited attention, particularly among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to exami...

Adolescence and emerging adulthood represent critical life stages for the onset of internalizing problems and declines in physical activity. To date, however, no systematic reviews have examined the relationship between physical activity and internalizing symptoms during the transition into emerging adulthood. The purpose of this study was to condu...

Background There has been increasing interest on interventions addressing developmental transitions for youth with mental health disorders. Objective The purpose of the current study was to conduct an updated scoping review of a 2016 paper that describes evaluated programs or interventions addressing developmental transitions for youth with mental...

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to conduct the first longitudinal investigation using accelerometers to assess physical activity behavior change during individuals' acute transition out of high school. Methods Participants in the current investigation were a part of a prospective cohort study called the MovingU Study. Participants wer...

Recent work has demonstrated the collective impact of daily movement behaviours on mental health outcomes, however, positive aspects of mental health have received much less attention. The purpose of this study was to identify unique adolescent movement behaviour profiles and determine whether profile membership is associated with differences in me...

Background and purpose Young children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are more likely to experience internalizing problems, such as depression and anxiety, than typically developing (TD) children. Currently, the underlying mechanisms resulting in increased internalizing problems in DCD remains unknown; however, a previous study based...

Recent work has demonstrated the collective impact of daily movement behaviours on mental health outcomes, however, positive aspects of mental health have received much less attention. The purpose of this study was to identify unique adolescent movement behaviour profiles and determine whether profile membership is associated with differences in me...

Background First-year students entering postsecondary education must navigate a new and complex academic and social environment. Research indicates that this transition and developmental period can be challenging and stressful – academically, emotionally and socially – and that mental health and wellbeing can be compromised. Additionally, mental he...

Movement behaviour guideline adherence has been associated with lower depressive symptoms during adolescence, yet no studies have used person-centered approaches to examine this relationship. The purpose of the present study was to identify whether unique adolescent movement behaviour profiles exist, evaluate predictors of profile membership, and d...

The move to university is a major life transition associated with precipitous declines in physical activity (PA). While it remains unclear how these declines can be best attenuated, the concept of physical literacy (PL) or enhancements of PL may be a promising modality to promote PA during life transitions. The purpose of the current study was to e...

Little research has investigated the relationships among motor coordination, perceived physical self-concept (PSC), and physical activity during emerging adulthood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether PSC mediates the relationship between motor coordination and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in emerging adults. This...

This pilot study was designed to assess the feasibility of implementing a mindfulness intervention in the prevention of falls. We employed a quasi-experimental design consisting of 22 participants from two retirement homes in Ontario partaking in the regional falls prevention class. Participants were assigned to either an eight-week intervention, c...

Background: The overarching objective of the study is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the salient factors predicting changes in physical activity (PA) during adolescents' transition into emerging adulthood. Using the Multi-Process Action Control model as our guiding framework, we will examine how implicit and explicit psychological proc...

Background: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are highly comorbid in children. There is evidence linking second hand smoke (SHS) exposure in utero to ADHD; however, it's relation to DCD is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of SHS exposure in utero in children wit...

Purpose Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent, neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 2% to 5% of children, which is characterised by fine and gross motor problems. Children with DCD have been shown to be less fit and physically active than other children; however, the direction of causality is unknown as previous studies have typ...

Background: Interventions that promote health and wellbeing among young adults are needed. Such interventions, however, require measurement tools that support intervention planning, monitoring and evaluation. The primary purpose of this study is to describe the process in developing a framework for a Canadian post-secondary health surveillance too...

The transition into university is often considered the first major life transition and is associated with significant declines in physical activity (PA). It remains, however, unclear how to best prevent or attenuate these declines. The concept of physical literacy (PL) and the enhancement of PL may hold some promise, as it is considered foundationa...

Aim To examine cross‐sectional differences in patterns of daily physical activity accumulation between preschool children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) compared to typically developing children. Method In total, 514 children (292 males, 222 females; 4–5y) were recruited as part of the Coordination and Activity Tracking in C...

Physical literacy (PL) provides a powerful lens for examining movement in relation to physical activity (PA) and motor skill outcomes, environmental context, and broader social and affective learning processes. To date, limited consideration has been given to the role PL plays in promoting positive health behaviours. There is no clear conceptual fr...

Background and aims: The Environmental Stress Hypothesis (ESH) has been used to examine how the relationship between poor motor coordination and psychological distress is affected by physical health and psychosocial factors. However, work applying the ESH is still limited, and no studies have used this framework with adults. The current investigat...

Background: Despite the proliferation of studies examining youth sport participation, there are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the impact of youth sport participation on health and development. These gaps are not new, but have persisted due to limitations with how sport participation is measured. Much of the research to date has measured...

Objectives: This study examined several underlying mechanisms hypothesized by the Environmental Stress Hypothesis (ESH) to explain the association between probable Developmental Coordination Disorder (pDCD) and internalizing problems. Design/Method: A cross-sectional analysis involving 1206 children aged 12-14 years (79 pDCD, 6.6% of the sample) wa...

Using reliability generalization analysis, the purpose of this study was to characterize the average score reliability, the variability of the score reliability estimates, and explore possible characteristics (e.g., sample size) that influence the reliability of scores across studies using the Scales of Psychological Wellbeing (PWB; Ryff, 1989, 201...

Background It is well established that drastic declines in physical activity (PA) occur during young adults’ transition into university; however, our understanding of contextual and environmental factors as it relates to young adults’ PA is limited. Objective The purpose of our study was to examine the feasibility of using wrist-worn accelerometer...

Background Behavioral economics has stimulated renewed interest in financial health incentives worldwide. The Carrot Rewards app was developed as part of a public-private partnership to reward Canadians with loyalty points (eg, movies and groceries) for downloading the app, referring friends, and completing an average of 1 to 2 educational health q...

Background The economic burden of physical inactivity in Canada is estimated at Can $6.8 billion (US $5 billion) per year. Employers bear a substantial proportion of the economic costs, as they pay more for inactive workers in health care and other organizational costs. In response, many Canadian employers offer wellness programs, though these are...

Background: Children and youth are often considered the most active segment of the population, however, research indicates that physical activity (PA) tends to peak during the adolescent years, declining thereafter with age. In particular, the acute transition out of high school is a period for which individuals appear to be at high-risk for becom...

Introduction University and college campuses may be the last setting where it is possible to comprehensively address the health of a large proportion of the young adult population. It is important that health promoters understand the collective challenges students are facing, and to better understand the broader lifestyle behavioural patterning evi...

Introduction Les campus universitaires et collégiaux sont sans doute les derniers milieux au sein desquels il est possible d’aborder de façon globale la question de la santé d’une grande proportion de la population de jeunes adultes. Il est important que les promoteurs de la santé saisissent en quoi consistent les difficultés collectives auxquelles...

Background: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) tend to be less active than typically-developing (TD) children. Current evidence, however, is based on cross-sectional and self-reported activity, and little is known about sedentary time among children with significant movement impairments such as DCD. The current study examines...

Although the challenges of accessing and using primary healthcare for new immigrants to Canada have been fairly well documented, the focus has primarily been on large cities with significant immigrant populations. The experiences of immigrants living in smaller, less diverse urban centres remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to exa...

Objective: The Winter Olympics occurs during the NHL regular season, and because many teams send multiple players to the Olympics, the question of whether there is a negative impact of player participation on team performance has been raised. In this paper, we examine the impact of player participation on goal differential for each Winter Olympic G...

This study examines the associations among socioeconomic status (SES), aging, gender and sport and physical activity participation from late childhood into adolescence. Drawing from previous research, we test three hypotheses regarding the impact of aging on SES and sport participation using longitudinal data. The data come from a prospective cohor...

Acute pharyngitis is commonly seen in children, and the majority of cases are caused by viral infection. Group A streptococcus (GAS) is the only common bacterial cause for which antibiotic therapy is definitely indicated. With the weak differentiating power of clinical features between GAS and non-streptococcal causes, clinicians are encouraged to...

Introduction: Interval exercise training can elicit physiological adaptations similar to those of traditional endurance training, but with reduced time. However, the intense nature of specific protocols, particularly the "all-out" efforts characteristic of sprint interval training (SIT), may be perceived as being aversive. The purpose of this stud...

Physical activity plays an important role for long-term health, and the preschool period is a vital developmental stage to establish healthy habits and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of longitudinal studies examining the factors related to physical activity in young children. A literature search identifying...

Objective: To examine the effects of a Healthy Active Living (HAL) community intervention on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), and psychosocial mediators of physical activity among students transitioning into university. Methods: Sixty undergraduate students were assigned to reside in either th...

It is important to identify Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) early in a child's life to allow for proper and timely intervention and support, and to reduce the negative secondary consequences associated with this condition. In this study we assessed the psychometric properties (construct validity, concurrent validity, reliability and test...

Sport participation can play an important and positive role in the health and development of children and youth. One area that has recently been receiving greater attention is the role that sport participation might play in preventing drug and alcohol use among youth. The current study is a systematic review of 17 longitudinal studies examining the...

Sex differences in the rate of decline in physical activity (PA) are most pronounced during adolescence. However, once boys and girls are aligned on biological age, sex differences in the patterns of PA become attenuated. The aim of this study was to test whether biological maturation can account for sex differences in participation in physical act...

Background It is important to understand health-risk behaviours among young adults, as modifications in this can enhance and lessen the risk of chronic illness later in life. The purpose of the current study was to determine the prevalence of a broad range of health-risk behaviours among post-secondary students from across Canada, and to determine...

While physical activity in individuals tends to decline steadily with age, there are certain periods where this decline occurs more rapidly, such as during early adulthood. Interventions aimed at attenuating the declines in physical activity during this transition period appear warranted. The purpose of the study was to test the feasibility and eff...

The current study examined associations between gender, perceived athletic competence, and enjoyment of physical education (PE) class over time in a cohort of children enrolled in grade four (ages 9 or 10) at baseline (n = 2262). We assessed each student 5 times over a period of 2 years. We used mixed effects modeling to examine change over time in...