Is it confidence or competence that best predicts physical activity in young children

Introduction: The influence of motor competence and perceived competence on physical activity in children has been conceptualised in several socio-ecological models (e.g.Stodden et al., 2008; Welk, 1999). However, these models have not been empirically tested with young children, nor considered how these might differ between boys and girls. The aim of this study was to test the contribution of actual and perceived motor competence to physical activity levels among young children, and to examine how these relationships might evolve over an 18 month time frame.