Reliability and criterion-related validity of the Cooper test in pre-adolescents and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

The Cooper test (CT) is used to assess cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in pre-adolescents and adolescents, although it was originally developed to assess healthy adults. The aim of this study is to examine the available scientific evidence on the reliability and criterion validity of CT when administered to pre-adolescents and adolescents. Systematic searches were performed in three electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, SPORTDiscuss and Scopus). To examine reliability and validity, four separate meta-analyses were implemented, finding high heterogeneity in studies with low methodological quality. There was a paucity of research regarding absolute reliability, while studies attempting to develop or cross-validate VO_2max/VO_2peak equations were almost non-existent. Information on the psychometric properties of CT in pre-adolescents under 12 years of age is scarce. The findings of this review cast doubt on the usefulness of CT both in identifying CRF and in determining the impact of strategies developed to improve CRF among pre-adolescents and adolescents.

KEYWORDS:

• Aerobic
• fitness
• Cooper test and pre-adolescents

Acknowledgments

The authors of this study would like to express gratitude to Dr Jack Yanovski for the provided information.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.