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Interlimb coordination differentiates Brazilian children from two socioeconomic settings
Tatiana G Bobbio1, Carl Gabbard, Vanda G Gonçalves
1Department of Pediatrics, State University of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Pediatrics International : Official Journal of the Japan Pediatric Society
|September 19, 2009
Summary
Children in private schools show better motor function than those in public schools, particularly in gross motor coordination. Both groups improved motor skills throughout their first school year.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Motor Function Research
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Investigating potential disparities in motor function between Brazilian children entering private versus public schools.
- Examining the influence of early schooling environments on motor skill development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if private school enrollment confers a motor function advantage in young Brazilian children.
- To compare motor function development in children attending private and public schools during their first year.
Main Methods:
- Assessed motor function in 402 Brazilian children (ages 3-7) at the beginning and end of their first school year.
- Utilized age-level standards and total scores for motor function assessment.
- Compared participants from private and public school settings.
Main Results:
- Children in private schools demonstrated superior motor function compared to their public school counterparts on initial and subsequent assessments.
- Both groups exhibited improvements in motor skills over the academic year.
- Gross motor coordination tasks, specifically those involving interlimb coordination, most significantly distinguished between the two groups.
Conclusions:
- Private school enrollment may be associated with an initial advantage in motor function for young children.
- Interlimb coordination is a key area for motor skill development in early childhood.
- Recommendations include integrating motor skill activities, emphasizing interlimb coordination, into early childhood education programs.
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