Validation and reliability of a test instrument for assessing basic swimming competences in primary school children

Abstract

Basic swimming competences represent motor performance dispositions that enable children to move safely in an aquatic environment and constitute the essential foundation for learning to swim. To effectively support the development of these competences, it is crucial to design an appropriate assessment tool that allows the didactic and methodological aspects of swimming education in schools to be adequately adapted. The aim of the present study was to verify the reliability and validity of a newly developed test battery—WABAC (Water Basic Competence)—designed to assess the fundamental swimming competences of children in early school age. The research sample consisted of 2 739 pupils from the 1st to 4th grades of primary schools (50.1% boys), aged 7 to 10 years. The test battery included seven aquatic tasks, each evaluating specific motor skills related to aquatic movement and safety. Performance in individual test items was assessed using a three-point rating scale. In terms of reliability, Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.9501) indicated a very high level of internal consistency across all test items. Similarly high coefficients were observed for both boys (α = 0.9485) and girls (α = 0.9518). When analyzed by grade, the reliability values ranged from α = 0.9074 to 0.9599, confirming the strong stability of the test battery across subgroups. For validity assessment, Pearson’s correlation analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were applied. The EFA revealed a single dominant factor—Gliding on the front—representing a common dimension of swimming competences. The results support the use of the WABAC test battery as a simple, reliable, and pedagogically applicable tool for evaluating the basic swimming competences of children in the early school years.