ABSTRACT
This master thesis researches the motor development of triplets during primary school. The thesis observes their physical and motor abilities, as well as their development throughout primary school. It was initially hypothesized that the motor development of triplets would be at a lower level than that of their peers, but that the differences would have decreased by the end of primary school.
45 triplets (15 groups of triplets) participated in the thesis. With their permission, the data on physical and motor development was obtained from the SLOfit school databases. The results of 11 measurement tasks were analyzed. Eight assessed children's motor skills and three assessed children's physical characteristics. Using this type of longitudinal data, it was possible to compare individuals over the same period of adolescence and compare them with the results of a single generation.
The study showed that, on average, the triplets' scores were not significantly below the national average. However, some statistically significant differences did occur. At the start of primary school, triplets lagged behind the national average in physical development (they were shorter, lighter and had less subcutaneous fat) and in two of the eight motor tests (600m run and stand and reach). At the end of primary school, the triplets still lagged behind the national average in physical development, however, the differences had decreased significantly. At the end of primary school, the triplets performed below the national average in three motor tests (600m run, 60m dash and polygon course backwards). They performed above the national average in three motor tests (20-s hand tapping, 60-s sit-ups and bent arm hang). In two tasks (standing long jump and stand and reach), the triplets' results were not statistically significantly different from the national average.
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