Fine Motor Ability and Executive Function in Autistic and Non-autistic Toddlers

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Early development is crucial for understanding neurodevelopmental disabilities like autism.
• Executive functioning (EF) and motor skills are key developmental areas often impacted in autistic children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between fine motor (FM) skills and executive functioning (EF) in toddlers with and without an autism diagnosis.
• To identify specific EF components related to FM abilities in early childhood.

Main Methods:

• Study involved 49 two-year-old children, with 27 diagnosed with autism and 22 as neurotypical (NT).
• Data collection included in-person assessments and caregiver-completed rating scales.

Main Results:

• Caregivers reported autistic toddlers had greater challenges with inhibition and shifting compared to NT peers, even after controlling for cognitive ability.
• Fine motor ability significantly predicted caregiver-reported task-shifting abilities in both autistic and NT children.
• No significant relationship was found between FM ability and inhibition, emotional control, working memory, or planning/organization.

Conclusions:

• Findings support an interconnection between executive functioning and fine motor skills in early development.
• Further research is warranted to explore the relationship between these skills in both autistic and neurotypical children.