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Gross and fine motor skills of left-handed preschool children

P Giagazoglou1, E Fotiadou, N Angelopoulou

  • 1Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. angelopo@phed.auth.gr

Perceptual and Motor Skills
|September 22, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Left-handed children, particularly boys, show poorer fine motor skills compared to right-handers. Early identification of these differences in preschool is crucial for addressing potential learning difficulties.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Hand preference emerges in early childhood.
  • Motor skill development is crucial for academic readiness.
  • Left-handedness prevalence is approximately 10% in the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare gross and fine motor skills between left-handed and right-handed preschool children.
  • To investigate potential gender differences in motor skill performance among left-handers.
  • To explore the implications of motor skill disparities for later learning.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 31 left-handed preschool children (aged 4-6) was compared to 31 matched right-handed controls.
  • The Griffiths Test No. II, specifically motor subscales A (gross motor) and D (fine motor), was administered.
  • Matching criteria included age, sex, and preschool attended.

Main Results:

  • Right-handed children scored higher on both gross and fine motor subscales.
  • A significant difference was observed in fine motor skills (Scale D), favoring right-handers.
  • Poorer fine motor performance in left-handed boys accounted for the significant group difference.

Conclusions:

  • Left-handed preschool boys exhibit deficits in fine motor skills compared to their right-handed peers.
  • These fine motor skill differences may predispose left-handed children to learning difficulties.
  • Early psychoeducational intervention in preschool programs is recommended for at-risk left-handed children.

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