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Sports Medicine
Published in: Sports Medicine 11/2020

01-11-2020 | Review Article

Reconceptualizing and Operationalizing Seefeldt’s Proficiency Barrier: Applications and Future Directions

Authors: Ali Brian, Nancy Getchell, Larissa True, An De Meester, David F. Stodden

Published in: Sports Medicine | Issue 11/2020

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Abstract

In 1980, Seefeldt introduced the concept of a motor skill “proficiency barrier” that provides a conceptual basis for understanding the importance of a motor skill barrier as it relates to critical public health initiatives. While the intent of Seefeldt’s proficiency barrier hypothesis had great potential to advance the field of motor development, the notion of a proficiency barrier was not empirically tested. Instead, this concept lay dormant for several decades. The purpose of this paper was to expand upon Seefeldt’s proficiency barrier concept in greater detail by addressing the following questions: (1) what constitutes a motor proficiency barrier? (2) how do we assess/measure the existence of a proficiency barrier? and (3) how do we break through the proficiency barrier in order to maximize the likelihood of participation in health-enhancing levels of physical activity later on in life? We conclude with a future research suggestion to explore the existence of the proficiency barrier.
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Metadata
Title
Reconceptualizing and Operationalizing Seefeldt’s Proficiency Barrier: Applications and Future Directions
Authors
Ali Brian
Nancy Getchell
Larissa True
An De Meester
David F. Stodden
Publication date
01-11-2020
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Sports Medicine / Issue 11/2020
Print ISSN: 0112-1642
Electronic ISSN: 1179-2035
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01332-6

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