Children's OMNI Scale of Perceived Exertion: mixed gender and race validation

Purpose: The newly developed Children's OMNI Scale of Perceived Exertion (c ategory range: 0 to 10) was validated using separate cohorts of female and male, African American and white subjects. Each of the four cohorts contain ed 20 clinically normal, nonobese children, 8-12 yr of age. Methods: A cros s-sectional, perceptual estimation paradigm using a single multi-stage cycl e ergometer test protocol was used. Oxygen uptake ((V) over dot O-2; mL.min (-1)), heart rate (HR; beats min(-1)) and ratings of perceived exertion for the overall body (RPE-Overall), legs (RPE-Legs), and chest (RPE-Chest) wer e determined at the end of each continuously administered 3-min power outpu t (PO) (i.e., 25, 50, 75, and 100 W) test stage. Results: The range of resp onses over the four POs for all cohorts was (V) over dot O-2; 290.8 to 1204 .0 mL.min(-1); HR: 89.2 to 164.4 beats min(-1); and RPE-Overall, RPE-Legs, and RPE-Chest: 0.85 to 9.1. First-order correlation and linens regression a nalyses were performed for each cohort separately and the total sample usin g a repeated measures paradigm over the four POs. For all correlation/regre ssion paradigms RPE-Overall, RPE-LeSs, and RPE-Chest distributed as a posit ive linear function of both (V) over dot O-2 and HR; r = 0.85 to 0.94; P < 0.01. Differences between RPE-Overall, RPE-Legs, and RPE-Chest were examine d with ANOVA for the repeated measures paradigm. RPE-Legs was higher (P < 0 .01) than RPE-Chest and RPE-Overall at 25, 50, 75, and 100 W. RPE-Chest did nor differ from RPE-Overall at 25 and 50 W but was lower (P < 0.01) than R PE-Overall at 75 and 100 W. Conclusion: The psycho-physiological responses provide validity evidence for use of the Children's OMNI Scale over a wide range of dynamic exercise intensities.