Children's OMNI scale of perceived exertion: mixed gender and race validation.
OBJECTIVE
The newly developed Children's OMNI Scale of Perceived Exertion (category range: 0 to 10) was validated using separate cohorts of female and male, African American and white subjects. Each of the four cohorts contained 20 clinically normal, nonobese children, 8-12 yr of age.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, perceptual estimation paradigm using a single multi-stage cycle ergometer test protocol was used. Oxygen uptake (VO2; mL x min(-1)), heart rate (HR; beats x min(-1)) and ratings of perceived exertion for the overall body (RPE-Overall), legs (RPE-Legs), and chest (RPE-Chest) were determined at the end of each continuously administered 3-min power output (PO) (i.e., 25, 50, 75, and 100 W) test stage.


RESULTS
The range of responses over the four POs for all cohorts was VO2: 290.8 to 1204.0 mL x min(-1); HR: 89.2 to 164.4 beats x min(-1); and RPE-Overall, RPE-Legs, and RPE-Chest: 0.85 to 9.1. First-order correlation and linear regression analyses were performed for each cohort separately and the total sample using a repeated measures paradigm over the four POs. For all correlation/regression paradigms RPE-Overall, RPE-Legs, and RPE-Chest distributed as a positive linear function of both VO2 and HR; r = 0.85 to 0.94; P < 0.01. Differences between RPE-Overall, RPE-Legs, and RPE-Chest were examined with ANOVA for the repeated measures paradigm. RPE-Legs was higher (P < 0.01) than RPE-Chest and RPE-Overall at 25, 50, 75, and 100 W. RPE-Chest did not differ from RPE-Overall at 25 and 50 W but was lower (P < 0.01) than RPE-Overall at 75 and 100 W.


CONCLUSIONS
The psycho-physiological responses provide validity evidence for use of the Children's OMNI Scale over a wide range of dynamic exercise intensities.
Robertson
R J
RJ
Center for Exercise and Health-Fitness Research, Department of Health and Physical Education, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. rrobert@pitt.edu
Goss
F L
FL
Boer
N F
NF
Peoples
J A
JA
Foreman
A J
AJ
Dabayebeh
I M
IM
Millich
N B
NB
Balasekaran
G
G
Riechman
S E
SE
Gallagher
J D
JD
Thompkins
T
T
D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010465:Perception; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American