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The relation between measures of cognitive and motor functioning in 5- to 6-year-old children

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Abstract

Specific relations between executive functions (working memory capacity, planning and problem-solving, inhibitory control) and motor skill performance (anticipatory motor planning, manual dexterity) were examined in 5- to 6-year-old children (N = 40). Results showed that the two motor skill components were not correlated. Additionally, it was found that response planning performance was a significant predictor of anticipatory motor planning performance, whereas inhibitory control and working memory capacity measures were significant predictors of manual dexterity scores. Taken together, these results suggest that cognitive and motor skills are linked, but that manual dexterity and anticipatory motor planning involve different specialized skills. The current study provides support for specific relations between cognitive and motor performance, which has implications for early childhood cognitive-motor training and intervention programs.

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Ethical standard

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from parents or guardians of all children included in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Motor Control Laboratory, School of Medicine, Private Bag 30, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia

    Tino Stöckel

  2. Sport and Exercise Psychology Unit, Department of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Ulmenstraße 69, 18057, Rostock, Germany

    Tino Stöckel

  3. Robotics Research Centre, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Charmayne M. L. Hughes

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Stöckel, T., Hughes, C.M.L. The relation between measures of cognitive and motor functioning in 5- to 6-year-old children. Psychological Research 80, 543–554 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-015-0662-0

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