Personality traits and gross motor performance in children from Muzambinho/MG

Abstract

The aim of this study is (1) to report the scores of four personality traits (Extraversion/Introversion, Neuroticism, Psychoticism and Sociability) and gross motor performance, (2) to describe the frequency of children in each level of gross motor development, (3) to establish relationships between personality trait scores and gross motor performance scores. 190 scholars (6-12 years old) voluntarily answered the Personality Trait Scale for Children (PTSC) and took part in the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2, Ulrich, 2000), having performed six locomotor and six object control skills. The mains results were: (1) Low levels of Psychoticism, average levels of Neuroticism and high levels of Extraversion/Introversion and Sociability were identified. (2) Sample's motor quotient (composed of the subscales locomotion and objects control) was positioned below Percentile 50 and two-thirds of the children were located in the poor/very poor level of gross motor development. (3) Correlations were extremely low among personality traits and motor variables. Personality traits are not associated with gross motor performance in children from Muzambinho/MG. The low level of level of gross motor development should be considered in public policies and physical activity interventions for children with similar characteristics of our sample.