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Relation between cognitive and motor performance in 5- to 6-year-old children: results from a large-scale

Renske Wassenberg1, Frans J M Feron, Alfons G H Kessels

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Brain and Behaviour Institute, Maastricht University, Dr. Tanslaan 10, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. r.wassenberg@np.unimaas.nl

Child Development
|September 10, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Cognitive and motor skills in young children show specific links, particularly in visual motor integration, working memory, and fluency. These connections in 5- to 6-year-olds are independent of attention.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Neuropsychology
  • Motor Development

Background:

  • Cognitive and motor development are crucial in early childhood.
  • Understanding their interrelations, especially in children with and without behavioral issues, is important.
  • The role of attention as a potential confounder needs to be addressed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between cognitive and motor performance in 5- to 6-year-old children.
  • To examine these relationships in children with and without behavioral problems.
  • To determine if these relationships are mediated by attention.

Main Methods:

  • A sample of 378 children aged 5-6 years was assessed.
  • Children were categorized based on the presence of externalizing or internalizing behavior problems.
  • Cognitive functions (visual motor integration, working memory, fluency) and motor performance (quantitative and qualitative aspects) were measured, controlling for attention.

Main Results:

  • No global relationship was found between overall cognitive and motor performance.
  • Specific positive associations emerged between motor performance and visual motor integration, and working memory.
  • Quantitative motor performance was also positively related to fluency.

Conclusions:

  • Specific cognitive and motor skills demonstrate parallel development in early childhood.
  • These interrelations are not solely attributable to attentional processes.
  • Findings highlight nuanced connections between cognitive and motor development beyond global measures.

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