The proposed study uses a mHealth application "app" to help parents teach their preschool-age child motor skill (FMS) activities in the home environment. This app guides families to participate in 10-min activity breaks, 7 days/week for 12 weeks and the app includes weekly instructional lessons, peer modeling videos, behavioral scaffolding, and structured activities. This study builds on prior work by assessing whether improvements in FMS generalize to cognitive domains, including executive function skills such as working memory, attention, and inhibitory control. By examining both motor and cognitive outcomes, the project will provide essential evidence on whether enhanced FMS uniquely contributes to cognitive development. Based on findings from the proposed study, there may be a need to develop additional modules that address diverse needs of children or that contribute to broader, multifaceted improvement in both motor competence and cognitive function. Findings will inform the potential of technology-based motor skill interventions to support broader aspects of child development in diverse populations, guiding future practice and policy in education, health, and early intervention.
Children will be included if they are 3-5 years of age at the time of enrollment and their accompanying parents (Age 18 or above).
Child exclusion criteria: Physical or cognitive disability that parent feels will preclude participation in activity breaks or assessments (physical activity or gross motor skill activities).
Single group
COSMIC
BehavioralParents will deliver the FMS intervention at home to their preschool-age child (3-5 yrs). Each day, Parents will access weekly instructional lessons, peer modeling videos and activity breaks to deliver approximately 12 hrs of structured FMS instruction time to their child over a 3-month period. The Mission PLAY app program is comprised of 10-minute segments of varied activities that children perform, called "activity breaks" (10-min activity breaks, 7 days/week for 12 weeks) Each week parent-child dyads will work on one featured FMS (e.g., jumping) and will complete short bouts of activity that include a one-minute warm-up, 8 minutes of FMS practice, and one-minute cool down. During the FMS practice, parents will help their child practice this skill through a series of developmentally appropriate activities that aim to incrementally increase their child's performance through continued practice.
Change in executive functioning skills based on COSMIC intervention
Heads, Toes, Knees, and Shoulders - Revised, Attention, working memory, inhibitory control
Change in motor skills based on COSMIC intervention
Actual and perceived motor skills assessed by the Test of Gross Motor Development - 3rd edition and Perceived Movement Skill Competence assessment
Parent implementation fidelity using the COSMIC app
The percentage of instructional videos watched by the parent, and the percentage of possible activity breaks marked as completed
Changes in habitual physical activity based on engagement with COSMIC app
Assessed using an ActiGraph GT3X-BT accelerometer worn for 7-days on the right hip at all times except sleeping, swimming, and bathing
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University of Tennessee
Lead sponsor
Woodcock Institute for the Advancement of Neurocognitive Research and Applied Practice
Collaborator
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