<b>Exploring the Influence of Actual and Perceived Motor Competence on Physical Activity in Chinese Children: Insights from Polynomial Regression with Response Surface Analysis</b>

This study examined how actual motor competence (AMC) and perceived motor competence (PMC) jointly relate to physical activity (PA) among Chinese children. Although both AMC and PMC have been individually linked to children’s PA in previous research, the effects of their congruence and incongruence remain insufficiently understood, particularly in non-Western cultural contexts. By applying polynomial regression with response surface analysis, our study provides a more nuanced understanding of how AMC and PMC interact in shaping children’s physical activity behaviors and demonstrates important sex-specific patterns.