Psychometric Properties of the French Version of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children (PMSC)

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a French version of the pictorial scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children (PMSC), which is aligned with the third version of the Test of Gross Motor Development. A sample of 219 French-speaking Canadian children (5 to 12 years old) participated in this study. Results supported the factor validity and reliability of a 13-item version of the PMSC encompassing two factors (i.e., ball skills and locomotor skills). Subsequent analyses supported the weak, partial strong, and partial strict invariance of responses to the PMSC as a function of sex. Additionally, analyses revealed that boys displayed significantly higher perceived ball skill competence than girls. Results also supported a lack of differential item functioning (DIF) and latent mean differences as a function of body mass index and physical activity/sport involvement, but revealed evidence of DIF and latent mean differences as a function of age. More precisely, these results show that older children displayed significantly: (a) higher scores on the sliding item and lower scores on the kicking item relative to younger children; and (b) lower scores on perceived locomotor skills competence than younger children. Overall, results suggest that the French version of the PMSC has acceptable psychometric properties and can be confidently used in research or practice to assess children's perceived movement skill competence. L’objectif de cette recherche était d’étudier les propriétés psychométriques de la version française du Pictorial scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children (PMSC) qui est alignée sur la troisième version du Test of Gross Motor Development. Un échantillon composé de 219 enfants canadiens francophones (5 à 12 ans) a participé à cette étude. Les résultats confirment la validité factorielle et la fidélité des 13 énoncés de la version du PMSC comprenant deux facteurs (i.e., compétences perçues avec des balles/ballons et compétences perçues de locomotion). D’autres analyses soutiennent l’invariance (complète au niveau de la saturation des énoncés et partielle aux niveaux de la moyenne et de l’erreur de mesure des énoncés) des réponses au PMSC selon le sexe des enfants. Par ailleurs, les analyses ont révélé que les garçons affichaient des scores de compétences perçues avec des balles/ballons significativement plus élevés que les filles. Les résultats ont également montré : (a) u