Nadia C Valentini

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | UFRGS · School of Physical Education Physical therapy and Dance

The assessment of motor proficiency is essential across childhood to identify children’s strengths and difficulties and to provide adequate instruction and opportunities; assessment is a powerful tool to promote children’s development. This study aimed to investigate the hierarchal order of the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3)...

It has become increasingly apparent that publishing research on child development from certain countries is especially challenging. These countries have been referred to collectively as the Majority World, the Global South, non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic), or low-and middle-income countries. The aim of this paper is...

Abstract: (1) Background: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a chronic impairmentthat affects several domains that mark the developmental trajectory from childhood to adulthood.Aim: This study examined the differences in physical and psychosocial factors for children withDCD and typical development (TD) and the associations between these...

Contextual opportunities facilitate skill acquisition, and the interaction between individual and contextual factors is fundamental to enhancing health and social parameters in children with DCD. This study examined (1) the influence of Mastery Motivational Climate (MMC) and Exercise Play Climate (EPC) interventions on motor performance, physical a...

A gravidez na adolescência é considerada um fator de risco de atrasos no desenvolvimento infantil. Devido à imaturidade da mãe combinado com fatores de risco como o menor poder econômico e menor educação formal, o cuidado a proteção e a estimulação da criança pode não ser adequado, contribuindo para atrasos no desenvolvimento. Esta revisão de liter...

O nascimento prematuro é uma das principais causas de mortalidade infantil e de alterações no desenvolvimento infantil em todo o mundo. Devido à imaturidade dos sistemas orgânicos e ao baixo peso ao nascer, crianças prematuras enfrentam uma combinação de fatores de risco clínicos e contextuais. A detecção precoce desses fatores é fundamental para o...

The first years of life are an optimal time for developing motor competence. However, the evidence regarding motor competence in early childhood is fragmented and needs to be clearly synthesized and presented. To establish effective evidence-based decision making in research, practice, and policy for the early years, this expert statement, on behal...

Children’s motor skill proficiency is essential for healthy behavior. A lack of motor proficiency affects children’s confidence in their capabilities, causing them to avoid games due to social comparison, isolate themselves from peers, and become less engaged in physical activities and sports. Individual constraints and poor environmental opportuni...

Importance Early interventions improve neurodevelopmental outcomes after preterm birth, but few studies of early intervention have focused on preterm infants whose families reside in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective To evaluate whether parent-guided early intervention improves the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants in...

The chapter explores the interconnection between movement experiences and cognitive functions, emphasizing the pivotal role of the body, perception, and motor skills in cognition. It delves into the significance of motor activity in fostering executive functions, with a focus on relevant research in children. The chapter presents studies on the cor...

There is some, albeit inconsistent, evidence supporting sex differences in preschoolers' motor competence (MC), with these observations not uniform when analyzed by age, and cultural groups. Thus, this study examined sex differences across ages in 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children's MC. A cross‐country pooled sample of 6241 children aged 3–5 years (49.6% g...

Background Children with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate poorer performance in locomotor and ball skills than children with typical development. During motor assessment, keeping children's attention and motivation is challenging, especially for children with DS, which may affect the test outcomes. This study aimed first to examine the impact of exam...

This study aimed to review the prevalence of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in individuals born preterm and systematically explore this prevalence according to gestational age and different assessment cut-offs and compare it to full-term peers. The eligibility criteria were observational and experimental studies reporting the prevalence...

This study aimed to examine the content, face, and sensitive validity, and test-retest reliability of a volleyball overhand serve accuracy-test. Four experts – university professors evaluated the content validity; 50 volleyball coaches, teachers, and athletes were enrolled in the face validity. Thirty-three undergraduate students (18 experienced an...

This study aimed to examine the content, face, and sensitive validity, and test-retest reliability of a volleyball overhand serve accuracy-test. Four experts-university professors evaluated the content validity; 50 volleyball coaches, teachers, and athletes were enrolled in the face validity. Thirty-three undergraduate students (18 experienced and...

Background Motor competence has important developmental associations with aspects of physical health, but there has been no synthesis of longitudinal associations with cognitive and social-emotional health. Objectives The first aim was to present a conceptual model that positions motor competence as a mediator between physical activity and cogniti...

In soccer, each moment of the game demands the creation of different responses and decision-making, requiring independent discovery of the appropriate actions. Therefore, practice within an unpredictable context impacts the learning processes and the performance of executive functions, how practice impact differently males and females is not yet ex...

Introduction Physical Activity (PA) is a complex behavior, and the relevance of other factors such as BMI, SES and children’s behavior at school and home still lacks investigation for children, especially those at risk or with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The objective of this study was to examine whether socioeconomic status (SES), s...

Background and Objective One in five preschool children are overweight/obese, and increased weight status over time increases the risks of poorer future health. Motor skill competence may be a protective factor, giving children the ability to participate in health-enhancing physical activity. Yet, we do not know when the relationship between motor...

The present study examines sex differences regarding children's self-perceptions and motor competence (locomotor and object control subtests), parents' perceptions about their boys’ and girls’ competence, and the associations among these variables. Parents and their children (N = 77; M = 8.70, SD = 2.13) participated in the study. The children’s mo...

Aims: to systematically review the prevalence of DCD in individuals born preterm; explore this prevalence according to gestational age and different assessments cut-offs; and compare to full-term peers. Methods: The eligibility criteria was observational and experimental studies reporting the prevalence of DCD in preterm individuals. A systematic s...

Aim The aim was to investigate the validity of evidence of the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System second edition for Brazilian children. Methods 258 children participated, both sexes (n = 133 girls; 51.6%), 5 to 9 years old (total sample Mage = 7.1, SD = 1.4), from four regions of Brazil. The Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System – se...

This prospective cohort longitudinal study examines the risk factors associated with different intrauterine environments and the influence of different intrauterine environments on children’s motor development at 3- and 6-months of life. Participants were 346 mother/newborn dyads enrolled in the first 24 to 48 h after delivery in public hospitals....

Promover o engajamento de crianças em atividades motoras durante a infância é essencial para a manutenção da atividade física ao longo da vida. Os objetivos deste estudo foram investigar (1) o efeito de uma intervenção motora em meninos e meninas do ensino infantil e fundamental, no nível de engajamento nas aulas de educação física e na competência...

Aplicativo para avaliação do desempenho de habilidades motoras fundamentais de crianças O aplicativo Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) foi desenvolvido para auxiliar profissionais das áreas da saúde e educação, bem como para pais e crianças. O FMS é um suporte visual para a demonstração de 21 habilidades motoras fundamentais de equilíbrio, locomoção e...

We aimed to calculate the interrater reliability of the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3) after raters reached a consensus regarding measurement criteria. Three raters measured the fundamental movement skills of 25 children on the TGMD-3 at two different times: (a) once when simply following the measurement criteria in the TGMD...

This study aimed to investigate the associations between caregivers practices and knowledge and the motor performance of children from zero to two years of age. 53 children were assessed with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2. Their family members answered the Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory, the Daily Activities of Infant Scale, an...

Esta obra apresenta conhecimentos teóricos e procedimentos utilizados para a realização de avaliação cognitiva em diferentes etapas do ciclo vital. Enfoca tanto aspectos do funcionamento cognitivo típico como dos transtornos mentais e do desenvolvimento atípico.

Purpose Early identification of impairments is crucial to providing better care for preterm children, especially those from low-income families. The early motor assessment is the first step in monitoring their neurodevelopment. This study investigates if motor development in the first year of life predicts impairments in cognition and language at 3...

This mixed-design study examined the effects of a mastery motivational climate intervention on the motor and social skills of underserved children with and without disabilities. A mastery climate was implemented for the intervention group consistent with the TARGET structure. Children, 24 children with disabilities (12 boys, 12 girls) and 52 withou...

Objective: To perform a longitudinal investigation of risk factors in premature infants' cognitive, motor, and language development. Methods: Thirty-three preterm infants were assessed at 4, 8, and 12 months of corrected age, using the Bayley-III Scales. Parents completed questionnaires regarding development opportunities at home, parenting prac...

Aim This study aimed to examine the prevalence of delays and borderline impaired performance for Brazilian girls and boys and the differences in the motor trajectories (locomotor and ball skills) of girls and boys (3- to 10-years-old) across WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic) countries and Brazil–a low- and middle-income co...

This study investigated the contextual factors, motor performance, and body mass index across indigenous land children, indigenous urban children, and non-indigenous urban children. A number of 153 children, both sexes (71 girls, 46.4%), from 8 to 10 years were assessed. The Test of Motor Gross Development-3 was utilized. Indigenous land children s...

The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-Second Edition (PDMS-2) is a valid and reliable instrument used in several countries, including Brazil, to assess gross and fine motor skills and identify motor deficits and eligibility for intervention for children with and without disabilities. However, the analysis of PDMS-2 items regarding the unidimension...

Introduction In 2008, a conceptual model explaining the role of motor competence (MC) in children’s physical activity (PA), weight status, perceived MC and health-related fitness was published. Objective The purpose of the current review was to systematically compile mediation, longitudinal and experimental evidence in support of this conceptual m...

Background Children living in poverty often are exposed to situations that negatively affect various aspects of their development. So, it is important to propose interventional programs that minimize the negative effects of living in poverty on these children. Objective To verify the impact of a mastery climate cognitive-motor skills school-based...

Obesity is increasing globally, affecting children’s health and development. This study examines the influence of a motor skill intervention on the daily routine, self-perceptions, body mass index, motor development, and engagement in physical education lessons of children with obesity and overweight with motor delays. Children were randomly assign...

Aim: To investigate the validity evidence of the adapted Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale in physical activity and sports settings-BFNE-PAS. Methods: Participants included 721 children and adolescents (376 girls and 345 boys), 10 to-14-year-olds (total sample M age = 12.1, SD = 1.3) from Brazil. Results: Exploratory factorial analysis confir...

The Aquatic Readiness Assessment (ARA) is an assessment instrument for measuring children's aquatic readiness. The objective of the study was to translate the English version into Portuguese and to investigate the content, construct, and criterion validity as well as the reliability and rater objectivity of the ARA for Brazilian children. Twenty-th...

Background : The Test of Gross Motor Development–3 (TGMD-3) is used to assess locomotor (LOCS) and ball (BS) skills in children. This test provides relevant information for evaluating learning and determining teaching efficacy. However, conducting and coding the test is time consuming. A screening form may improve its usage in specific settings and...

For children with motor delays, the intervention effectiveness regarding children's routine, overall self-perceptions, and engagement in the lessons, have been understudied. Furthermore, specific sex differences still lack evidence. This study examines the effectiveness of mastery Climate (MC) motor intervention on girls' and boys' daily routine, m...

Aim: This study examined the neurodevelopment trajectories, the prevalence of delays, and the risks and protective factors (adverse outcomes, environment, and maternal factors) associated with cognitive, motor, and language development for preterm infants from 4– to 24-months. Method: We assessed 186 preterm infants (24.7% extremely preterm; 54.8%...

Aim: To examine whether executive functions, and gross motor skills were predictors for school performance in children with DCD, with risk for DCD (r-DCD), and with typical development (TD). Methods: Participants were 63 children with DCD (Mage = 8.70, SDage = .64), 31 children with r-DCD (Mage = 8.90, SDage = 0.74), and 63 typical development chil...

This study aimed to translate the Pictorial Scale of Physical Self-Concept for Brazilian Children (PSPPS-BR) into the Brazilian-Portuguese language, conduct a transcultural adaptation of it, and investigate its validity. Method : The authors adopted the reverse translation procedures to obtain the PSPPS-BR’s Brazilian-Portuguese version. Three moto...

Resumo Introdução Diferentes fatores afetam o desenvolvimento motor no primeiro ano de vida, tendo sido pouco estudada a interferência da variação sazonal. Objetivo Investigar a influência da sazonalidade e de fatores de risco e proteção para o desenvolvimento motor de lactentes nascidos a termo, aos 7 e 10 meses de idade. Método Foram incluídos no...

Background The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales - Second Edition (PDMS-2) has been used by health and educational professionals to assess the gross and fine motor skills of children with typical development, motor and/or cognitive delays, and disabilities. Aim Investigate the validity and reliability of PDMS-2 for use in Brazil. Methods For con...

Background: Motor skill assessment is time-consuming and some difficulties are inherent in the administration of motor tests, especially in children with neurodevelopment disorders. Purpose: This study aimed to develop and investigate the face, content, and criterion validity of a Motor Skills Sequential Pictures (MSSP) for the Test of Gross Motor...

The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) is one of the most common tools for assessing the fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children between 3 and 10 years. This study aimed to examine the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the TGMD—3rd Edition (TGMD-3) between expert and novice raters using live and video assessment. Five raters [2 e...

Resumo Este memorial tem como propósito narrar a vida e obra do Professor Ruy Jornada Krebs, um profissional dedicado ao estudo do desenvolvimento humano e ao ensino, à pesquisa e à extensão na Educação Física brasileira. O texto aborda a formação acadêmica, as primeiras atividades profissionais, a trajetória universitária do docente, sua história...

We propose that the collection of infant experiential and environmental data using smartphone surveys has the potential to fill a gap in foundational and clinical knowledge. To achieve this, these data need to be collected in a systematic way that is translatable globally. We can then begin to understand differences in child development and physica...

As aulas de Educação Física são para a maioria das crianças o principal meio de participação em atividades estruturadas e apropriadas ao desenvolvimento e de promoção da atividade física. O contexto das aulas e a mediação do professor podem potencializar o engajamento dos alunos nas aulas. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar a qualidade do engajame...

Background Appropriate opportunities within the context are crucial to affect the motor trajectory positively. Objective To investigate the effectiveness of professional-parental/caregivers' early motor-cognitive intervention on infants' motor development in Daycare (DC), Home Care (HC), and Foster Care (FC). Secondary objectives were to examine i...

Background: There is a need for appropriate tests to identify developmental delays early in life. Objective: This study investigates the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) unidimensional model and its ability to explain variance in items response, hierarchic order of the items, levels of difficulty, and the extent to which the items were app...

Background This study extended previous research by investigating the combined effects of neonatal birth risks, neonatal adverse outcomes, and socioeconomic status on preterm neurodevelopment. Method A total of 184 preterm infants were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III in a follow-up clinic in southern Brazil. Structural e...

The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance (PSPCSA) is a scale used to identify self-perceptions of competence (i.e., cognitive and physical) and social acceptance (i.e., peers and maternal) of children in kindergarten, first and second grades of elementary school. The objective of this study was to translate and investigate...

A Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance (PSPCSA) é uma escala utilizada para identificar as auto-percepções de competência (cognitiva e física) e aceitação social (pares e maternas) de crianças na educação infantil e primeiros anos do ensino fundamental I. O objetivo deste estudo foi traduzir e investigar a validade de conte...

Gross Motor Skills pictured sequences and animations were developed. Developed by: Fernando Copetti- UFSM, Nadia Cristina Valentini - UFRGS, Andréa C Deslandes - UFRJ Cite this App: Copetti, F., Valentini, NC., Deslandes, AC. (2020). Gross Motor Skills. [Mobile app]. Play Store.

Sequential pictures illustrating Gross Motor Skills. A motor skills sequential pictures representing the skills motor criteria were created and its adequacy was assessed by experts, undergraduate students, and children. After the validity process, the animation process was conducted. The sequential pictures and animations were inserted in a specifi...

Background: Higher levels of actual and perceived motor competence are purported to lead to participation in physical activity (PA). Whereas considerable work has been published regarding motor and perceived competence and body mass index (BMI), much less is known about the association of these variables considering PA and engagement in physical e...

A set of inhibitory control tasks for the smartphone (Go/No-Go App) was developed for typical children and children with development coordination disorder (DCD). The content, construct, and criterion validity was examined. The inhibitory control Go/No-Go App test is comprised of four tasks: auditory and visual stimuli with motor and verbal response...

Aim: To investigate the validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) for Brazilian infants. Methods: The study was conducted with 20 health professionals and 655 Brazilian infants (between 34 weeks of Post-Menstrual Age and 17 weeks Corrected Age). Results: (1) Content validity: High concordance...

Background: Children with motor impairments also show poor performance in some executive functions' components. However, there is no consensus on which specific executive subdomain is more impacted. Aim: The objective of this study was to compare executive functions in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), at risk for DCD (r-D...

Background: This study applied the Person-Process-Context-Time model based on Bioecological theory to investigate the sociocultural influences on motor skill development. Purpose: The objectives of the present study were: (a) to assess the personal resources associated with the development of motor skills of children from three different geographic...

The decrease in children motor competence, with a consequent reduction in the levels of physical activities and fitness, impacting health negatively, has affected children across countries. In addition to consistent intervention strategies, it is necessary to use appropriate instruments. The Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder (KTK) is a reliable an...

Objetivos: no intuito de identificar a população de neonatos assistidos em um hospital universitário de alta complexidade de Porto Alegre/RS, buscou-se descrever o perfil dos recém-nascidos (RN) vivos, considerados típicos, no primeiro semestre de 2012. Métodos: estudo retrospectivo, descritivo, transversal, cuja a amostra foi aleatória incluindo 1...

Falls are considered a public health problem and physical activity is an effective strategy to prevent fall. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a physical activity program on physical fitness, fear of falling and quality of life in groups of faller and non-faller older adults. Study was conducted with participants of a multicomponen...

The aim of this study was to describe the tests used to assess working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, and analyzed the main research results related to executive functions in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder or with poor motor skills. Methods: This review used as data sources studies in MEDLINE, Web of Science, APA...

Background: Motor development occurs throughout periods of motor skills' acquisition, adjustment and variability. The objectives of this study were analyzed and compare biological and health characteristics and motor skill acquisitions' trajectories of preterm and full-term infants during the first year of life. Methods: 2,579 infants (1361 pret...

The opportunities offered to children in different development contexts play a fundamental role in the motor outcome as well as in the life habits of the child. A diversified motor base is important so that the child can successfully enter into sports activities throughout adolescence. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of th...

As oportunidades disponibilizadas para criança em diferentes contextos de desenvolvimento possuem papel fundamental no desfecho motor bem como nos hábitos de vida da criança. Uma base motora diversificada é importante para que a criança possa se inserir com sucesso em atividades esportivas ao longo da adolescência. O objetivo deste estudo foi inves...