Giovanni BOCA
Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via Giovanni Pascoli 6, Palermo, 90144, Italy.
e-Mail: giovanni.boca@unipa.it
Education
Laurea in Scienze e Tecniche delle attività motorie preventive e adattate e delle attività sportive LM-67
Current Positions
PhD Student in Health Promotion and Cognitive Sciences
PhD project title and a short abstract
PhD project Title
The influence of physical activity and use of technological devices on the development of motor coordination, social skills, and cognitive performance in primary school children
PhD project abstract
The appropriate development of motor coordination (both gross-motor and fine-motor coordination) is important for performing the activities daily life (ADL) and can have an impact on social life. Furthermore, according to the scientific literature, motor coordination seems to be influenced by several factors. The aim of this research proposal is to evaluate the levels of gross-motor and fine-motor coordination in primary school children and to assess the relationships between motor coordination performance and factors such as: body weight status categories, physical activity practice, use of technological devices, social skills, and strategic decision-making and problem-solving skills. Firstly, participants’ anthropometric measurements (weight and height) and body mass index (BMI) will be collected which will allow to divide participants according to body weight categories (i.e., normal-weight; overweight; underweight). Then, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) will be used to assess physical activity levels, and the Smartphone Addiction Risk Children Questionnaire (SARCQ) will be used to assess the risk of “smartphone addiction”. Subsequently, the Gross Motor Development-3 Test (TGMD-3) will be administered with the aim of assessing children’s gross-motor coordination (locomotor skills and object control skills). After, the Grooved Pegboard test (GPT) will be administered with the aim of assessing children’s fine-motor coordination. The measure of children’s social skills will be collected using a classroom observation grid for recording children’s behavior in the classroom during lessons. The cognitive abilities will be detected with the Tower of London (ToL) Test with the aim of measuring strategic decision-making and problem-solving skills. It is expected that the excessive use of technological devices, insufficient levels of physical activity practice, as well as a high body weight status could adversely affect children’s gross-motor coordination. Moreover, motor skills could have a negative impact on the children’s daily life in both cognitive and social terms.
Supervisor: Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia
Co-Tutor: Prof. Valerio Giustino
Main research areas of interest
Public Health, fitness education
Researcher ID
Reserch gate: Giovanni Boca