App-based Motor Skills Intervention in Primary School and Home Settings

NCT07679633 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: R25024
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 314
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app-based motor skills intervention (DigiKids RCT) on motor competence, physical activity, and perceived motor competence compared with standard school practices in primary school children. In addition, the study will examine other factors such as child-specific and family-related factors that might influence the findings.

Conditions

Healthy; Motor Activity

Keywords

Physical Activity; Mobile Applications; Child; Behavior; Motor Skills

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in raw scores for each subtest and the total raw score on the Test of Gross Motor Development Third Edition (TGMD-3)

  A validated and widely used assessment tool for evaluating fundamental movement skills in children aged 3-10 years. Maximum scores for locomotor skills are 46, ball skills 54, and total gross motor skills 100. In addition, the gross motor index (GMI) scores will be reported.

  From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change in the perceived motor competence measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC)

  From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.

• Change in the device-assessed physical activity using the UKK RM42 accelerometer

  From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.

Other Outcomes (7)

• Intervention adherence

  From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.

• Child temperament

  At baseline assessments.

• Child motivational factors

  At baseline, 12-week, and 7-month assessments.

Study Arms (2)

Waitlist control

OTHER

Participants in the control group will continue with standard school practices.

Other: Standard school practices

DigiKids intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the intervention group will receive a 12-week motor skills intervention, followed by free access to the application until the 7-month follow-up. The intervention will be integrated into daily classroom routines as part of the school curriculum and delivered through a teacher-supported digital application.

Behavioral: App-based Motor Skills Intervention

Interventions

App-based Motor Skills Intervention BEHAVIORAL

The DigiKids intervention will be delivered over 12 weeks as part of the school curriculum using the Geego Kids application. Intervention includes two main components delivered via Geego Kids application: (1) Teacher interface. Two 3-minute structured movement breaks each school day and 18 weekly homework assignments including monitoring of completition. (2) User interface for children and guardians. Guardians are instructed to support homework assignments. The total activity time with the intervention during the school hours is approximately 6 minutes per day, corresponding to 30 minutes per week. At home, the estimated minimum activity time is approximately 45 minutes per week. A total estimated activity time of the intervention is 900 minutes (approximately 75 minutes per week over 12 weeks). In addition, teachers and children with guardians are permitted free use of the application.

DigiKids intervention

Standard school practices OTHER

Control schools will continue standard school practices as usual. After the 7-month follow-up, the waitlist control group will be offered one-year access to the application and will receive the intervention materials as described for the intervention group below. During this period, teachers in these schools may decide how to use the intervention materials and the application in their teaching practices.

Waitlist control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 8 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children enrolled in the first grade of primary school
• Sufficient Finnish language proficiency
• Written informed consent from the guardian and written assent from the child

You may not qualify if:

• Age under 6 or over 8 years
• Medical or physical conditions preventing participation in the assessments (including severe musculoskeletal complaints or concussions within the preceding 3 months)
• Refusal to participate in baseline assessments

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tampere University: lead
• Juho Vainio Foundation: collaborator
• UKK Institute: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Tampere University

Tampere, Finland

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Rothbart MK, Ahadi SA, Hershey KL, Fisher P. Investigations of temperament at three to seven years: the Children's Behavior Questionnaire. Child Dev. 2001 Sep-Oct;72(5):1394-408. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00355.

  PMID: 11699677 BACKGROUND

• Ulrich DA. Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition. Published online June 12, 2023. doi:10.1037/t87935-000

  BACKGROUND

• Barnett LM, Ridgers ND, Zask A, Salmon J. Face validity and reliability of a pictorial instrument for assessing fundamental movement skill perceived competence in young children. J Sci Med Sport. 2015 Jan;18(1):98-102. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2013.12.004. Epub 2014 Jan 2.

  PMID: 24485803 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity; Behavior

Study Officials

• Pilvikki Absetz, Professor

  Tampere University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Jenny H Gustafsson, Doctoral researcher

  Tampere University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Eero A Haapala, Docent

  South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Mari H Leppänen, Docent

  UKK Institute

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Jenny Gustafsson

CONTACT

+358504358331; jenny.gustafsson@tuni.fi

Pilvikki Absetz, Professor

CONTACT

+358469215112; pilvikki.absetz@tuni.fi

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Research assistants conducting the data collection will remain blinded to group allocation throughout the study.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: To evaluate the effectiveness of the DigiKids intervention, the study employs a cluster randomized controlled trial design, with schools serving as the unit of randomization and a 1:1 allocation ratio. Schools assigned to the intervention group receive a mobile app-based motor skills intervention during the study period and retain free access to the app until the 7-month follow-up. Schools assigned to the waitlist control group continue usual practices during the study period and receive the intervention materials and app access after the follow-up measurements.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 22, 2026
• First Posted: July 1, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): August 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2027
• Last Updated: July 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FI (1)