Comparison of the effects of the COVID-19 process on motor skill in children aged 6-10

The aim of the study is to examine the effect of the covid 19 process on the motor skill levels of children aged 6-10 years before and after the closure process. For this purpose, a total of 508 students (F=119, M=135) from the 6-10 age group participated in the pre-test and post-test (pre-test= 254, post-test=254). In the study, one-group pre-test-post-test experimental design, which is one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The motor skill data of the children were measured with the Allgemeiner Sportmotorischer Test (AST), and the pre-covid-19 and post-covid-19 data were tested in accordance with the sub-problems. In the data analysis part, SPSS 24 package program was used. The normality analysis of the participant group data was performed using the shapiro wilk test. Since the Skewness and Kurtosis values of the data were between +1.5 and –1.5, it was accepted that the data were normally distributed. The Independent T Test was used to compare the measurements of Covid-19 and after. In addition, pearson correlation test was applied to determine the correlation between pre- and post-covid-19 measurements. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that there was a statistically significant decrease in the AST total scores (p<0.005). It was concluded that the motor skill scores of the children after the pandemic were lower than before the pandemic, there was also a weight gain after the pandemic, and there was a decrease in the motor skills of the children after the covid-19 pandemic according to the lower steps of the test applied. When all age groups were evaluated, it was determined that there was a significant decrease in motor skill test scores in favor of the post-test in the 6-year-old boys, 7,8,9,10-year-old girls and boys groups. No difference was detected only in girls aged 6 years. Statistically very high (p<0.000) significant differences were determined in all age groups, especially in skills that require quickness, endurance, coordination and agility. As a result, it is thought that the motor skill levels of the participants negatively affected as a result of a compulsory closure period experienced by the participants due to the pandemic, the fact that the schools had to conduct distance education for a period of two years and the children lived a more sedentary life during the stay at home.