Equivalence Reliability Among the FITNESSGRAM_® Upper-Body Tests of Muscular Strength and Endurance

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the equivalence reliability between the suggested FITNESSGRAM_® muscular strength and endurance test, the 90° push-up (PSU), and alternate FITNESSGRAM_® tests of upper-body strength and endurance (i.e., modified pull-up [MPU], flexed-arm hang [FAH], and pull-up [PU]). Children (N = 383) in Grades 3 to 6 were tested over a period of a week. Equivalence reliability for the PSU–MPU comparison was acceptable for boys across ages 8 to 10 (Percentage Agreement [Pa] = .74 to .78, Modified Kappa [Kq] = .48 to .56), with good agreement among boys age 11 (Pa = .86, Kq = .72). Equivalence reliability for girls was unacceptable across all ages (Pa = .54 to .59, Kq = –.04 to .18). Reliability estimates were also acceptable for boys on the PSU–FAH comparison across all ages (Pa = .72 to .80, Kq = .44 to .60). Similar results were not found for girls. Consistency of classification was not demonstrated between PSU–PU for boys ages 10 and 11 years; however, acceptable to good estimates were found for the girls' PSU–PU comparison (Pa = .72 to .82, Kq = .44 to .64) with the exception of girls age 11 (Pa = .67, Kq = .34). Practitioners must recognize that using alternative FITNESSGRAM® strength and endurance items may result in a different healthy fitness zone classification for children than the recommended test, the PSU.