Validation of the children's OMNI RPE scale for stepping exercise.

PURPOSE The stepping pictorial format of the Children's OMNI Perceived Exertion Scale (0-10) was validated for female (N = 20) and male (N = 20) children, 8-12 yr old with a peak (step) oxygen consumption of 46.1 +/- 5.3 mL.kg(-1).min(-1). METHODS Ratings of perceived exertion for the overall body (RPE-O), legs (RPE-L), and chest (RPE-C) were determined by the OMNI-Step Scale. Concurrent scale validity was examined by regressing OMNI-Step RPE against oxygen consumption (VO(2); mL.kg(-1).min(-1),) and heart rate (HR, beats.min(-1)). Construct scale validity was examined by regressing OMNI-Step RPE (i.e., conditional metric) against OMNI-Cycle RPE (i.e., criterion metric). Variables were measured at the end of each 2-min stage during load-incremented step and cycle exercise. RESULTS The range of responses over the test stages for the combined female and male sample was VO(2): 9.1-38.6 mL.kg(-1).min(-1); HR: 88.0-168.2 beats.min(-1); and RPE-O, RPE-L, and RPE-C: 1.0-9.1. Using concurrent regression models, RPE-O, RPE-L, and RPE-C distributed as positive linear functions of both VO(2) and HR (r = 0.81-0.94 P < 0.05). Construct regression models indicated a strong linear function between OMNI-Step and OMNI-Cycle RPE for females and males. Differences in RPE (O, L, and C) were not found when females and males used pictorials depicting the same or opposite gender. RPE-L was higher (P < 0.05) than RPE-C at all test stages. CONCLUSION Responses established concurrent and construct validity of the Children's OMNI-Step Scale over a wide intensity range. The OMNI-Step Scale is not influenced by pictorials' gender and is effective in assessing both undifferentiated and differentiated RPE in young children.