Effectiveness of a novel digital application for the development of fundamental movement skills in preschool-aged children
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN12852968 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12852968 |
- Submission date
- 01/05/2020
- Registration date
- 06/05/2020
- Last edited
- 02/12/2020
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are the foundational building blocks for lifetime participation in physical activity (PA). Programs to promote FMS development have been primarily delivered in childcare and school-based settings. But no studies have evaluated the effectiveness of an interactive digital application, designed to be co-used by the parent and child, to increase FMS proficiency in preschool-aged children.
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a digital application called Moovosity to promote FMS in 3- to 6-year-old children.
Who can participate?
Children aged 3 to 6 years and their parents/caregivers living in the greater Brisbane metropolitan region
What does the study involve?
Half of the families will be randomly assigned to have free use of the Moovosity app for the 8-week program and half will be randomly assigned to the waiting list for access to the app. Participants will complete assessments of FMS proficiency, physical activity, and parental support for physical activity before and after the 8 week period. After these assessments, the wait-listed group will be given free access to the app.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The outcomes of this research project may benefit families with preschool-aged children. The results will tell us if the app is effective in increasing FMS proficiency in 3 to 6-year olds and enhancing parental support for physical activity. If we can confirm that the digital platform provides children with fun, developmentally-appropriate physical activity and significantly improves FMS proficiency, families with young children will be able to access a new evidence-based app to promote active play and regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Participants may experience a mild discomfort and/or anxiety from being assessed on FMS proficiency. There is a minimal risk that participants may fall or receive a minor injury during any games chosen to play while using the app. However, the likelihood of these occurring is very low, and the level of discomfort/anxiety associated with these risks is low. The risk of injury using the game-based app session is no greater than the risk of playing outside in the backyard or playing while attending preschool or other childcare.
Where is the study run from?
Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
From June 2018 to May 2019
Who is funding the study?
The study is investigator-initiated and funded
Who is the main contact?
Prof Stewart Trost
s.trost@qut.edu.au
Contact information
Scientific
62 Graham Street
South Brisbane
4101
Australia
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-9587-3944 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +61 401368975 |
| s.trost@qut.edu.au |
Study information
| Study design | Randomized, wait-list controlled study |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | Home |
| Study type | Prevention |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Effectiveness of a novel digital application for the development of fundamental movement skills in 3- to 6-year-old children: A randomised controlled trial |
| Study acronym | Moovosity |
| Study objectives | Families randomised to the 8-week intervention will demonstrate significantly greater changes in fundamental movement skills, child physical activity, and parental support for physical activity than families allocated to the wait list control condition. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Approved 17/08/2018, the Queensland University of Technology Human Research Ethics Committee (Research Ethics Advisory Team, Office of Research Ethics & Integrity on behalf of the Chairperson, UHREC Level 4, 88 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia; +61 7 3138 5123; humanethics@qut.edu.au), ref: 1800000675 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Physical inactivity |
| Intervention | Participants will be randomized to either the treatment group or the wait-listed control group. The treatment group receives immediate access to the Moovosity app over 8-weeks. The wait-listed control group receives access to the app after completing post-test assessments. Participants will undergo baseline testing prior to allocation which will be repeated after 8 weeks of either access to the Moovosity app, or no access in the wait-list. A permutated block randomization method was used for allocation, with four parent-child dyads in each block. The allocation sequence has been generated by a researcher who was not involved in participant recruitment or outcome assessments. The allocation sequence will be concealed in a set of sealed opaque envelopes labeled with the participant number. Data collection and Fundamental movement skill (FMS) assessments will be conducted by trained research assistants blinded to group allocation. Moovosity™ is a mobile application (app) designed to promote the development of FMS and increase physical activity in young children. The app is designed as a digital library of age-appropriate active games that promote child and parent co-participation in physical activity. Games are designed to be fun, engaging, and establish a positive relationship with physical activity. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Fundamental movement skill proficiency, and object control and locomotor skills will be measured using the Test of Gross Motor Development 2nd Edition at baseline and 8 weeks |
| Secondary outcome measures | 1. Child physical activity will be measured using the Burdette Outdoor Play Checklist at baseline and 8 weeks 2. Parental support for physical activity will be measured using the parent support scale (by Trost et al 2003) at baseline and 8 weeks |
| Overall study start date | 15/06/2018 |
| Completion date | 15/05/2019 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Child |
| Lower age limit | 3 Years |
| Upper age limit | 6 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 34 |
| Total final enrolment | 34 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Aged 3 to 6 years 2. Free from any chronic conditions that affect their growth and development 3. Able to participant in activities of daily living 4. Resident in the greater Brisbane metropolitan region |
| Key exclusion criteria | Does not meet the inclusion criteria |
| Date of first enrolment | 15/10/2018 |
| Date of final enrolment | 15/01/2019 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Australia
Study participating centre
South Brisbane
4101
Australia
Sponsor information
University/education
2 George Street
Brisbane
4001
Australia
| Phone | +61 730697301 |
|---|---|
| s.trost@qut.edu.au | |
| Website | https://www.qut.edu.au/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/03pnv4752 |
Industry
L10, 15 Green Square Close
Fortitude Valley
Brisbane
4006
Australia
| scott@moovosity.com | |
| Website | https://moovosity.com/ |
Funders
Funder type
Other
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 15/06/2020 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| Publication and dissemination plan | We intend to publish the impact of the intervention on object control skills, locomotor skills, child physical activity, and parental support for physical activity. We will do so in a peer-reviewed journal. |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Professor Stewart Trost (s.trost@qut.edu.au). Interested parties will be asked to state why they are interested in the dataset, their proposed research question, and proposed analytical strategies. Due to the conditions stipulated in the research agreement between Moovosity Pty Ltd and Queensland University of Technology, any request for the dataset must also be approved by Moovosity Pty Ltd. Approved parties will be emailed a password protected csv file comprising a completely de-identified dataset and data dictionary. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic results | 06/05/2020 | 15/05/2020 | No | No | |
| Results article | results | 01/02/2021 | 02/12/2020 | Yes | No |
Additional files
- ISRCTN12852968_BasicResults_06May20.pdf
- uploaded 15/05/2020
Editorial Notes
02/12/2020: Publication reference added.
15/05/2020: The basic results of this trial have been uploaded as an additional file.
06/05/2020: Trial’s existence confirmed by Queensland University of Technology Human Research Ethics Committee.
