Cultural adaptation, validation, and first application of the Canadian assessment of physical literacy (CAPL-2) in Lithuanian primary school children.

INTRODUCTION: Physical literacy is increasingly recognized as a multidimensional construct that supports lifelong engagement in physical activity. Although the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy, second edition (CAPL-2), is one of the most widely used instruments for assessing physical literacy in children, no culturally adapted and validated Lithuanian version has previously been available. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt CAPL-2 for Lithuanian primary school children, evaluate its psychometric properties, and report the findings from its first application in a national sample. METHODS: CAPL-2 was translated and culturally adapted following established international guidelines, including forward-backward translation, expert review, and pilot testing. The adapted instrument was administered to 846 children aged 8-11 years from 10 Lithuanian schools. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, confirmatory factor analysis, age- and sex-group comparisons, and internal consistency analyses were performed. RESULTS: The Lithuanian CAPL-2 demonstrated good psychometric properties and retained the original four-domain structure (CFI = .963, TLI = .946, RMSEA = .047, SRMR = .040). The Motivation and Confidence domain showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .867; McDonald's ω = .87). The mean total CAPL-2 score was 70.25/100. Motivation and Confidence showed the highest domain scores, whereas Knowledge and Understanding demonstrated the weakest associations with the remaining domains and no significant correlation with Daily Behavior. Significant age-related differences were observed for Physical Competence and Knowledge and Understanding. CONCLUSION: The Lithuanian version of CAPL-2 is a valid and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing physical literacy in primary school children. The findings support its use in research, education, and public health and provide a foundation for future national and international studies.