Relationships between Gross Motor Abilities and Problematic Behaviors of Handicapped Children in Different Age Groups

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Physical Therapy
• Child Development
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Handicapped children exhibit a range of problematic behaviors.
• Gross motor abilities, such as independent walking, may influence behavior.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate problematic behaviors in handicapped children across developmental phases (infant, school child, adolescent).
• To determine the relationship between gross motor abilities (independent walking) and problematic behaviors.
• To utilize the Japanese version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC-J) for assessment.

Main Methods:

• 86 handicapped children undergoing physical therapy were studied.
• Children were classified by age and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) into independent-walking and non-independent-walking groups.
• Physical and occupational therapists rated children using the ABC-J.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in stereotypy and lethargy scores were found between independent-walking and non-independent-walking infants.
• No significant differences in problematic behavior scores were observed between walking groups in schoolchildren and adolescents.

Conclusions:

• Gross motor ability, specifically independent walking, is associated with specific problematic behaviors (stereotypy, lethargy) in infants.
• This association was not evident in older handicapped children (schoolchildren and adolescents).
• Further research may explore age-specific behavioral manifestations related to motor function in children with disabilities.