The Relationship Between Executive Function and Fine Motor Skills in 2-Year-Old Children
Abstract
Cognitive and motor processes are tightly interwoven during development (Diamond, 2000). More specifically, numerous studies point to a link between fine motor skills and executive functioning (EF) in 3- to 6-year-olds (e.g., Oberer et al., 2017; MacDonald et al., 2016); however, it is unclear if this relation exists at younger ages. For example, Gottwald et al. (2016) found that 18-month-old’s fine motor skills and EF were not related; whereas, Wu et al. (2017) found that fine motor skills at 2-years predicted EF at 3-years. Therefore, the current project aimed to further explore EF and fine motor skills in typically developing 2-year-olds. Forty-three 2-year-olds (m = 31.00 mo; 15 girls; range = 25-35 mo) participated. Participants completed the Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS), Spin the Pots, Shape Stroop, Snack Delay, and the Fine Motor portion (FMQ) of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale Version-2. The FMQ has two subtests: Grasping (whole-hand and finger grasping) and Visual Motor Integration (VMI; eye-hand coordination). MEFS and FMQ were not positively correlated before or after controlling for age (in mos) and verbal IQ. For the fine motor subtests, MEFS positively correlated with VMI only after controlling for age and verbal IQ (r = 0.57, p < 0.01), but not Grasping (r = -0.07, p > 0.10). Regression analysis controlling for age and verbal IQ showed that VMI significantly predicted MEFS performance (adj R^2 = 0.32, β = 0.51, p < 0.01), but not Grasping (adj R^2 = 0.10, β = 0.13, p > 0.10). No other EF measures produced significant results. These findings demonstrate a link between general EF and visual-motor integration in 2- year-olds. Future research should assess what influence fine motor skill training, specifically VMI skills, has on EF development in young children.
Degree
M.Sc.
Advisors
Claxton, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Cognitive psychology|Individual & family studies|Neurosciences|Psychology
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.