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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07771959

Play-Based Motor Training in Boys Aged 7-10 Years

This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of an 8-week structured play-based motor training program on motor competence in boys aged 7-10 years. Forty eligible participants were individually randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention group or a usual physical-education control group. The intervention consisted of 24 play-based motor-training sessions delivered three times per week for 60 minutes, whereas the control group continued usual physical education twice per week for 40 minutes. The primary outcome was motor competence assessed using the MABC-2 total score. Cognitive test performance measured using the Kay Cognitive-Diagnostic Test and parent-rated executive-function difficulties measured using the BRIEF Parent Form were exploratory secondary outcomes. Posttest outcomes were compared between groups using ANCOVA with the corresponding baseline score as a covariate. This study record was created retrospectively after completion of the study.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Age range

7 year–10 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Dongchuan, Yunnan, China

Dongchuan, Yunnan, 654100, China

About this study

The study was conducted during the 2024-2025 academic year in Dongchuan District, Yunnan Province, China. The sampling frame comprised approximately 72 boys from four eligible classes across two primary schools. Fifty children were randomly selected by lottery for eligibility assessment. Ten children were excluded before allocation: six because of physical or motor conditions that did not meet eligibility requirements, three because parental consent was not provided, and one because child assent was not obtained.

The remaining 40 eligible participants were individually randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention or control group using a computer-generated random allocation sequence. Allocation was concealed using sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes prepared independently and opened after completion of baseline assessments.

The intervention group received an 8-week structured play-based motor-training program comprising 24 sessions, with three 60-minute sessions per week. Sessions included social interaction, warm-up, play-based motor activities, cool-down, and feedback. Main activities included coordinated movement with children's rhymes, animal-imitation games, running, jumping, throwing, rolling, and ball activities. The control group continued usual physical education twice weekly for approximately 40 minutes per session.

MABC-2 and Kay assessments were conducted by an independent trained assessor blinded to group allocation. Parents completing the BRIEF were not blinded. The primary outcome was the MABC-2 total score. Kay total score and BRIEF mean item score were treated as exploratory secondary outcomes. All 40 randomized participants completed posttest assessment. No serious or intervention-related adverse events were reported.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male children aged 7-10 years
  • Enrolled in one of the eligible primary-school classes included in the study sampling frame
  • Able to participate in regular school physical-education and play-based motor activities
  • Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian Child assent provided

Exclusion criteria

  • A physical or motor condition that prevented safe or effective participation in the intervention or assessments
  • Parental or guardian consent not provided
  • Child assent not provided

Treatment and study plan

Structured Play-Based Motor Training Program

Behavioral

Participants in the intervention arm received an 8-week structured play-based motor training program delivered three times per week for 60 minutes per session, for a total of 24 sessions. Each session followed a standardized 60-minute format consisting of 5 minutes of social/introductory interaction, 5 minutes of warm-up activities, 40 minutes of structured play-based motor activities, 5 minutes of cool-down, and 5 minutes of feedback. The main activity component included coordinated movements accompanied by children's rhymes, animal-imitation games, and fundamental motor activities such as running, jumping, throwing, rolling, and simple ball-handling tasks. Activities were delivered in a game-based format and emphasized active participation, movement exploration, coordination, and repeated practice of fundamental movement skills. The intervention replaced the participants' usual physical-education sessions during the study period.

Usual Physical Education

Behavioral

Participants in the control arm continued their usual school physical-education program throughout the 8-week study period. Usual physical education was delivered twice per week for approximately 40 minutes per session and included general fitness activities, running, stretching, and simple recreational games. The control program did not include the structured play-based motor training protocol, the standardized 5+5+40+5+5 session format, or the systematic motor-practice activities used in the intervention arm. Control sessions were scheduled separately from the intervention sessions, and control participants did not observe the structured intervention activities.

Primary outcomes

  1. MABC-2 Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline and approximately 9 weeks after baseline (one week after completion of the 8-week intervention)

    Motor competence was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (MABC-2), using the age-appropriate Age Band 2 procedures. The MABC-2 total score was used as the primary motor-performance outcome. Higher scores indicate better motor performance. The primary statistical comparison used posttest scores adjusted for the corresponding baseline score using ANCOVA.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Kay Cognitive-Diagnostic Test Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline and approximately 9 weeks after baseline

    Cognitive test performance was assessed using the Kay Cognitive-Diagnostic Test. Five subtests assessed concept formation, symbolic thinking, socialization of thought, visual-motor perception, and short-term attention/psychomotor speed. The total score ranges theoretically from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better performance. A translated Chinese version was used without formal age-specific validation; therefore, this outcome was considered exploratory.

  2. BRIEF Parent-Form Mean Item Score

    Time frame: Baseline and approximately 9 weeks after baseline

    Executive-function difficulties were assessed using the 86-item Chinese parent form of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Items were rated from 1 (never) to 3 (often), and the mean item score was calculated across the 86 items. Higher scores indicate greater parent-rated executive-function difficulties. The same parent or caregiver completed the questionnaire at baseline and posttest. This was an exploratory secondary outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj

Other

Collaborators

  • Islamic Azad University of Mashhad

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of an 8-Week Play-Based Motor Training Program on Motor Competence, Cognitive Test Performance, and Parent-Rated Executive Function in Boys Aged 7-10 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acronym: PBMT-DC

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Aug 19, 2026
Registry last updated
Aug 19, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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