Aim. To examine the reliability of the PREFIT 20m shuttle run test (modified version of the original 20m shuttle run test) in preschool children from 3 to 5 years group.
Methods. A total of 130 students (4.91 ± 0.89 years; 77 boys) participated in the study. The PREFIT 20m shuttle run test consisted in run back and forth between 2 lines 20m apart with an audio signal. The initial running speed is 6.5 km/h and it is increased by 0.5 km/h/min. The test finishes when the preschool children fail to reach the end lines concurrent with the audio signals on 2 consecutive occasions. On the other hand, the test ends when the child stops because of exhaustion. Bearing in mind the young age of the children, two evaluators ran with a reduced group of children (e.g. 4-8 preschoolers) in order to provide an adequate pace. All the participants performed the test twice, two weeks apart.
Results. Mean test-retest difference (systematic error) in the number of laps achieved was 2 laps (test = 25 laps, re-test = 27 laps) for all the participants. According to the sex, the systematic error was 1 lap for boys and 3.4 laps for girls. Mean difference were 1.8, 3.3 and 1.6 laps in 3, 4 and 5 years groups, respectively. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found between sex (P = 0.360) or age groups (P = 804).
Conclusions. Our results suggest the PREFIT 20m shuttle run test is reliable in preschool children. Future longitudinal or intervention studies using this test should take into account that changes in the test performance of 2 laps may be due to the variability of the measure, while wider changes would be attributable to the intervention or changes associated with age.
Corresponding author. cadenas@ugr.es
