Lack of physical activity is a global public health problem causing not only morbidity and premature mortality, but it is also a major economic burden worldwide. One of the cornerstones of a physically active lifestyle is Motor Competence (MC). MC is a complex biocultural attribute and therefore, its study requires a multi-sectoral, multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary approach. MC is a growing area of research, especially in children and adolescents due to its positive association with a plethora of health and developmental outcomes. Many questions, however, remain to be answered in this field of research, with regard to: (i) Health and Developmental-related Associations of MC; (ii) Assessment of MC; (iii) Prevalence and Trends of MC; (iv) Correlates and Determinants of MC; (v) MC Interventions, and (vi) Translating MC Research into Practice and Policy. This paper presents a narrative review of the literature, summarizing current knowledge, identifying key research gaps and presenting questions for future investigation on MC in children and adolescents. This is a collaborative effort from the International Motor Competence Network (IMCNetwork) a network of academics and researchers aiming to promote international collaborative research and knowledge translation in the expansive field of MC. The knowledge and deliverables generated by addressing and answering the aforementioned research questions on MC presented in this review have the potential to shape the ways in which researchers and practitioners promote MC and physical activity in children and adolescents across the world.

Motor development is affected by maturation and growth but also influenced by the specific environmental and cultural context. Therefore, cross-cultural research can provide information about how different cultural contexts, lifestyles, and physical activity contexts can influence the process of developing motor competence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate aspects of motor competence among children from different cultural backgrounds. The sample of 463 children from 6 to 8 years consisting of 132 Greek children (52.3 % boys), 126 Italian children (53.9 % boys), and 205 Norwegian children (52.7) completed the Test of Motor Competence (TMC) including two fine motor tasks—Placing Bricks and Building Bricks—and two gross motor tasks—Heel to Toe Walking and Walking/Running in Slopes. The results indicate that the Norwegian children performed better in all tests; the differences were statistically significant in all four tasks compared with Italian children and in two tasks compared with the Greek children (Building Bricks and Heel to Toe Walking). Greek children performed significantly better than the Italians in two tasks: Placing Bricks and Heel to Toe Walking. Italian children were significantly faster than the Greek ones in one task: Walking/Running in Slopes. The differences in terms of levels of basic fine and gross motor skills between children from the different countries may be a consequence of both different physical activity contexts and cultural policies, attitudes, and habits toward movement.

This study investigated the differences between DCD and typically developing children in motor and cognitive abilities, and determined which tasks were best indicators in order to assess children with and without DCD. The study adopted the PASS theory of information processing in motor and cognition. Participants were 42 preschool students 5 years old (24 DCD and 18 non DCD). Results revealed that DCD differed significantly (p<0.05) from non DCD students and performed at a lower level on all motor and cognitive tasks. The discriminant analysis showed the strengths and weaknesses for both groups. Early identification of specific cognitive-motor difficulties, as a precursor of academic performance, contributes to early intervention

The aim of the study was to predict motor development using indicators from infant's early motor performance. A group of 46 infants were tested with Alberta Infant Motor Scale and were divided in two groups according to the interval time of assessment (2 and 6 months). The results for the first group revealed that supine position could predict infant's motor development after a 6 month interval for reassessment. The results for the second group revealed that supine and prone position were important indicators for predicting infants’ motor development after 2 months interval for reassessment.

Neurodevelopmental disorders represent a category of psychiatric conditions that manifest during early childhood. They are characterized by atypical development of the central nervous system and can result in a range of emotional and behavioral challenges, as well as significant impairments in psychological, social, academic, and occupational domains. Challenges related to executive function, which include but are not limited to working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, planning and organization, attention, and self-regulation, are commonly observed in individuals with various neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disabilities (ID), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Furthermore, during childhood and adolescence, executive functioning serves as a crucial predictor of academic success. This chapter examines the impact of diverse exercise and sports intervention programs, adapted appropriately, on individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. It highlights the benefits of enhancing executive functions and their correlation with improvements in social skills, quality of life, and overall well-being.