The validity of measuring pre-school childrenʼs ability to stand on one leg with eyes open

Abstract

【Objective】This study examined the validity of measuring pre-school childrenʼs ability to stand on one leg with eyes open based on the correlation of its measurement with the survey results of preschool childrenʼs motor ability.【Subjects】The subjects were 173 preschool children aged 4-6 years old, with an average age of 66.9±6.8 months.【Methods】We measured the duration of the subjectsʼability to stand on one leg with eyes open, and then tested their motor abilities through 25-m sprint, standing long jump, throwing a ball, hopping on both legs, and duration of being able to support the body weight, in accordance with the survey criteria on preschool childrenʼs motor ability as specified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). We then examined the correlations with the time of being able to stand on one leg with eyes open and the results of motor ability tests using Pearson correlation coefficients【. Results】We observed marked correlations between the time of being able to stand on one leg with eyes open and the motor test results for the 25-m sprint, standing long jump, hopping on both legs, and duration of being able to support the body weight.【Conclusion】Preschool childrenʼs ability to stand on one leg with eyes open is correlated with many motor abilities, suggesting the validity of its measurement.