Longitudinal Locomotor Competence and Body Mass Index Across Self-Reported Gender and Vision Level for Youth With Visual Impairments: A 3-Year Investigation

in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly

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Ali Brian University of South Carolina

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Angela Starrett University of South Carolina

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Adam Pennell Pepperdine University

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Pamela Haibach-Beach SUNY-Brockport

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Emily Gilbert SUNY-Cortland

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Alexandra Stribing University of South Carolina

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Sally Taunton Miedema University of South Carolina

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Lauren Lieberman SUNY-Brockport

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2020-0082
Keywords:
blindness; fundamental motor skill; gross motor skill; health-related fitness; motor development
First Published Online:
25 Feb 2021
In Print:
Volume 38: Issue 2
Page Range:
268–285
Restricted access

Youth with visual impairments are more likely to be overweight than peers without visual impairments and often struggle with their locomotor skills. Locomotor development can combat unhealthy body weight statuses by supporting physical activity behaviors. There are no longitudinal investigations concerning the locomotor skill and body mass index (BMI) developmental trajectories of youth with visual impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine the 3-year developmental trajectory of the locomotor skills and BMI of youth with visual impairments including differential effects of self-reported gender and degree of vision. Participants (N = 34, Mage = 11.75 years, 47% female) showed severely delayed and arrested locomotor development with increases in BMI across 3 years regardless of self-reported gender or degree of vision. Participants failed to breech a proficiency barrier of motor competence to combat against increases in BMI across time. Additional longitudinal inquiries are needed.

Brian, Stribing, and Miedema are with the Dept. of Physical Education, and Starrett, the Child Development Research Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. Pennell is with the Natural Science Div., Seaver College, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, USA. Haibach-Beach and Lieberman are with the Dept. of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education, SUNY Brockport, Brockport, NY, USA. Gilbert is with the Physical Education Dept., SUNY Cortland, Cortland, NY, USA.

Brian (abrian@sc.edu) is corresponding author.
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