Perceived Water Competence in Children and Parents: A Comparative Study

2.3.4. Perceived Water Competence in Children and Parents: A Comparative Study Authors: Tortella, Patrizia1; Pontarollo, Silvia2; Lombardo, Pietro1; Di Corrado, Donatella1 Affiliation: 1 Department of Social Science and Humanity, University “Kore” of Enna, Italy; 2 Research Group on Motor Development, University of Verona, Italy Keywords: aquatic literacy, water competence, swimming, children Introduction: Water competence is a multidimensional construct that integrates motor, cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills necessary for safe and autonomous behavior in aquatic environments. It extends beyond basic swimming skills, supporting both prevention and water safety education. Unlike abilities, competencies involve broader adaptive skills like risk awareness. Perceived water competence, children’s self-assessment of their aquatic ability plays a key role in motivation, learning, and safety behavior. Methods: This study explored perceived aquatic competence in 62 children aged 8–9 years (M = 8.42, SD = 0.50), comparing their self-evaluations with parental assessments. It examined differences by sex, age, and geographic area (coastal vs. mountainous) in a southern Italian region. Participants (25 boys, 37 girls) were from three elementary schools: two classes in mountainous areas (n = 32) and two in coastal areas (n = 30). The Italian version of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Water Competence (PSPWC) was administered separately to children and parents. Results: Parents rated coastal children as more competent than those from mountainous areas (t = –4.19, p < .001, Cohen’s d = –1.06). Coastal nine-year-olds were seen as the most competent (t(60) = 2.78, p = .007, d = 0.71), and boys were rated higher than girls (F(1, 56) = 4.42, p = .040). Children’s self-perceptions showed similar trends: coastal children rated themselves higher (t(60) = 2.33, p = .023, d = 0.60), and nine-year-olds outscored eight-year-olds (t(60) = 2.45, p = .017, d = 0.63). A moderate, significant correlation emerged between child and parent ratings (r = .39, p = .002), though children tended to overestimate their competence. Discussion/Conclusion: These findings underscore the need to promote water competence in all children and align adult and child perceptions. Future studies should include objective assessments to validate reported actual water competence. References: Barnett, L. M., Ridgers, N. D., Zask, A., & Salmon, J. (2015). Face validity and reliability of a pictorial scale for assessing movement skill competence in children. *Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 18*(1), 98–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2013.11.001. Barnett, L. M., Vazou, S., Abbott, G., Bowe, S. J., Robinson, L. E., Ridgers, N. D., & Salmon, J. (2016). Construct validity of the pictorial scale of perceived movement skill competence. *Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 22*, 294–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.09.002. Harter, S. (1982). The perceived competence scale for children. *Child Development, 53*(1), 87–97. https://doi.org/10.2307/1129640. Mertens, L., Huyben, F., & D'Hondt, E. (2022). Exploring the relation between actual and perceived water competence in primary school children. *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19*(1), 446. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010446. Moreno Murcia, J. A., & Ruiz Pérez, L. M. (2008). Development of a pictorial scale of perceived water competence for children. *International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 2*(3), 313–329. https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.02.03.10