Associations between hand and foot preference in 3- to 5-year-olds

Associations between foot and hand preference behavior were examined in 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. Analysis of the general trichotomous (right, left, mixed) distribution of preferences indicated no sex or age group differences, while noting that 39% were mixed-footed compared to 17% not favoring one hand over the other. Frequency of paired (congruent and cross-lateral) preferences revealed that two patterns, Right-hand/Right-foot (52%) and Right-hand/Mixed-foot (23%) accounted for the vast majority (75%) of subjects. Of the total number of right-handers, most (67%) preferred the right foot, while only 19% of the left-handers were congruent. Thus, supporting findings reported on older populations that right-handers are more consistently right-footed, than left-handers are left-footed. Behavior of the mixed- and right-handed sample was similar, suggesting an overall predominance of these lateral characteristics in young children.