Date of Award

7-1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Kinesiology & Public Health Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of a dimensional rating of perceived exertion scale (D-RPE) for young children while exercising. Sixteen boys and girls (ages 6-8 years) peiformed two incremental walking tests on a motorized treadmill. Each subject walked at 3.2 miles per hour until the subject was fatigued or voluntarily stopped the test. The intensity was increased by increasing the treadmill incline 2.5% every two minutes. Heart rate (HR) was monitored at each two minute interval by a heart rate monitor worn across the chest. Either a mouthpiece or oxygen face mask was used to collect and analyze expired gases by a Sensormedics V-29 metabolic cart. A poster of the D-RPE using circles of increasing size was presented to each subject at the end of each two-minute interval and the subject pointed to the circle they felt corresponded to their exercise effort level. Two identical exercise sessions were administered on different days to test reliability. The results indicated that the treadmill protocol used yielded valid and reproducible measures of HR, VOo, VCO2 and VeTPS. HR increased linearly with a % grade and reached maximal values in stages 5 through 9 for most subjects. D-RPE followed a similar pattern but the D- RPE response appeared to be curvilinear. This may have been due to a statistical mortality rate at the upper stages of exercise. The D-RPE scale utilized in this investigation appeared to be a valid, reliable and reproducible measure of young children’s exercise exertional levels.

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