Author(s): CORMACK, K., KENDALL, K., COCHRANE WILKIE, J., Institution: EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY, Country: AUSTRALIA, Abstract-ID: 958

INTRODUCTION:
Preadolescent girls consistently demonstrate lower motor skill competence, physical fitness and physical activity levels than boys, contributing to poorer physical and psychosocial health trajectories. Multimodal interventions may provide a time-efficient strategy to improve short-term outcomes; however, evidence for sustained effects in preadolescent girls is limited. This study examined the immediate and 6-month outcomes of a girls-only multimodal intervention on motor skill competence, fitness, physical activity and psychosocial health.
METHODS:
Seventy-seven preadolescent girls (8–11 years) were randomised to an intervention (n = 50) or control group (n = 27). The intervention consisted of twice-weekly, 60-minute sessions for nine weeks integrating fundamental movement skill development progressing to sport-specific skills, high-intensity interval training, strength training and psychosocial activities, delivered by trained specialists. Outcomes assessed pre- and post-intervention included motor skill competence (Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 percentile and fundamental movement skill proficiency), cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and power, physical activity (PAQ-C, accelerometry, daily steps) and psychosocial health. A subsample (n = 40) completed physical activity and psychosocial assessments at 6-month follow-up. Repeated measures analyses and linear mixed models examined group, time and interaction effects.
RESULTS:
At post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in motor skill competence, including fundamental movement skill proficiency and MABC-2 percentile (both p < 0.001), as well as cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and power (all p < 0.001). Psychosocial health and perceived physical ability also improved (p ≤ 0.05). A significant between-group difference at post-test was observed for fundamental movement skill proficiency only (p < 0.001). Although physical activity increased modestly in the intervention group post-intervention, between-group differences were not statistically significant. At 6-month follow-up, no sustained intervention effects were observed for physical activity or psychosocial health.
CONCLUSION:
A short-duration, girls-only multimodal intervention delivered by specialists can produce substantial short-term improvements in motor skill competence, physical fitness and psychosocial health in preadolescent girls. However, these gains did not translate into sustained improvements in physical activity or psychosocial outcomes at 6 months. Future interventions should prioritise maintenance-focused design, including extended duration and strategies supporting long-term engagement.