Developmental Sequences for Hopping over Distance: A Prelongitudinal Screening

Abstract

Proposed developmental steps for hopping for distance (Roberton & Halverson, 1977) in two movement components (arm and leg action) were tested using a prelongitudinal screening technique (Roberton, Williams, & Langendorfer, 1980) for determining their comprehensiveness and developmental accuracy. Seventy-two children, ranging in age from two through five years (24–71 months), were tested for the study. The leg action developmental steps included all observed leg movements in the preschool sample and were accepted as comprehensive. The proposed arm action component required modification to accommodate all observed arm movements before it was accepted as comprehensive. The leg action component was properly ordered, supporting developmental accuracy. Again, additional modifications were necessary in the arm actions before the steps were properly sequenced. In contrast to previous studies which claimed that most children exhibited “mature” hopping behaviors by 5 years of age, these children were classified predominantly at low and intermediate developmental levels. The development of hopping clearly takes longer than was suggested previously. The pattern of sex differences found for this study was consistent with earlier literature, however. By age five, girls were placed at advanced developmental steps more often than boys. Finally, most children used a less advanced movement pattern when hopping on their non-chosen leg as compared to their chosen leg.