The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of somatic and socio-cultural factors on
children’s motor competence (MC). MC was assessed through the standing long jump (SLJ), distance
throw of a tennis ball (TTB), and 20 m dash (20 m) in 181 children (84 girls) with a mean age of
6.10(0.47) years. The effect of socio-economic status, house/living space, educational practices, the
child’s interaction with peers and siblings, and the sum of five skinfolds (SS) were analysed via
structural equation modelling (SEM) in each motor skill. The SEM models displayed a good fit to the
data. In addition, standardized direct effects are significant on different outcome variables, except for
brotherhood relationship (BR) and peer relationship in TTB, and 20 m dash and BR in standing long
jump (SLJ). SS are negatively related to all motor skills.
This research was funded Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., grant number UID04045/2020.
