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Hand skill and hand preference in blind and sighted children
1Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, India.
Laterality
|October 30, 2004
Summary
Congenitally blind and sighted children show similar hand preferences. Sighted children performed better on some hand ability tasks, but both hands were equally capable for all children, suggesting potential for bilateral training.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Motor Control
Background:
- Hand preference and ability are crucial for daily tasks.
- Understanding how congenital blindness affects these skills is important for developmental research.
- Previous research has not fully explored bilateral hand ability in congenitally blind children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hand preferences and abilities between congenitally blind and sighted children.
- To investigate potential differences in bilateral hand function.
- To explore the implications for developmental interventions.
Main Methods:
- Participants: Congenitally blind and sighted children (ages 6-15).
- Hand Preference: 20-item hand preference inventory.
- Hand Ability: Sorting, finger dexterity, and Minnesota Rate of Manipulation tasks performed with each hand.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in hand preference between blind and sighted groups.
- Sighted children demonstrated faster performance on certain hand ability tasks.
- No significant differences in performance between the left and right hands for either group.
Conclusions:
- Congenital blindness does not alter hand preference development.
- Bilateral hand function appears equipotential, with no inherent advantage of one hand over the other.
- Findings suggest that both hands can be trained for tactile-based tasks in children, regardless of visual status.