title: Playing Active Video Games may not develop movement skills: An intervention trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the impact of playing sports Active Video Games on children's actual and perceived object control skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intervention children played Active Video Games for 6 weeks (1 h/week) in 2012. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 assessed object control skill. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence assessed perceived object control skill. Repeated measurements of object control and perceived object control were analysed for the whole sample, using linear mixed models, which included fixed effects for group (intervention or control) and time (pre and post) and their interaction. The first model adjusted for sex only and the second model also adjusted for age, and prior ball sports experience (yes/no). Seven mixed-gender focus discussions were conducted with intervention children after programme completion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-five Australian children (55% girls; 43% intervention group) aged 4 to 8 years (M 6.2, SD 0.95) participated. Object control skill improved over time (p = 0.006) but there was no significant difference (p = 0.913) between groups in improvement (predicted means: control 31.80 to 33.53, SED = 0.748; intervention 30.33 to 31.83, SED = 0.835). A similar result held for the second model. Similarly the intervention did not change perceived object control in Model 1 (predicted means: control: 19.08 to 18.68, SED = 0.362; intervention 18.67 to 18.88, SED = 0.406) or Model 2. Children found the intervention enjoyable, but most did not perceive direct equivalence between Active Video Games and 'real life' activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whilst Active Video Game play may help introduce children to sport, this amount of time playing is unlikely to build skill.
authors: Deakin University, School of Health and Social Development, Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors: Lisa M
authors: LM
authors: Barnett
authors: Deakin University, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition, Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors: Nicola D
authors: ND
authors: Ridgers
authors: Monash University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Reynolds
authors: Deakin University, School of Health and Social Development, Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Hanna
authors: Deakin University, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition, Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors: Jo
authors: J
authors: Salmon
keywords: Children; Exergaming; Fundamental movement skill; Physical self-perception