TY - JOUR VL - 8 UR - http://doi.org/10.3390/children8050340 SN - 2227-9067 N2 - The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate the presence of preschool children with severe motor difficulties (SMDs) and (2) to evaluate the existence of differences in the motor competence (MC) of preschool children from public and private schools based on gender. A total of 581 preschool children (4.66 ± 0.52 years) from Galicia (Spain) were assessed. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was used to collect the data. Preschool children from public schools presented a greater number of SMDs (OR = 20.65; CI = 9.99?85.53; p < 0.001). Preschool children from private schools have higher scores on the variables studied (for example, manual dexterity (p < 0.001), aiming and catching (p < 0.001), balance (p < 0.001), total test score (p < 0.001), and total percentage score (p < 0.001)). Regarding the gender factor, differences were found in manual dexterity (p < 0.001), aiming and catching (p = 0.014), balance (p < 0.001), total test score (p < 0.001), total percentage score (p < 0.001), and in the interaction of both factors in balance (p < 0.001), total global score (p = 0.004), and total percentage score (p < 0.001). Preschool children from private schools are less likely to have severe movement problems and score higher on all dimensions of the MABC-2 than preschool children from public schools analyzed in this study. Likewise, girls score higher than boys in all dimensions, except in aiming and catching. JF - Children Y1 - 2021/04// IS - 5 AV - public A1 - Mecías-Calvo, Marcos A1 - Lago-Fuentes, Carlos A1 - Arufe-Giráldez, Víctor A1 - Navarro-Patón, Rubén KW - Preschool children KW - Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) KW - Gender differences KW - Public school KW - Private school. ID - uneatlantico416 TI - Study of Motor Competence in 4?5-Year-Old Preschool Children: Are There Differences among Public and Private Schools? ER -