The relationship between motor coordination and executive functions in 4th grade children

Abstract

In the last decades, there has been a declining trend in different components of children’s motor capabilities and an increasing concern with cognitive skills, but the relationship between motor and cognitive domains remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed to (1) analyse the relationship between motor coordination (MC) and executive functioning, (2) verify the role of processing speed in this relationship and (3) examine the interaction between MC and task complexity. Ninety-six healthy 9- to 11-year-old were evaluated using the Kõrperkoordination Test für Kinder and the planning scale of the Cognitive Assessment System. The results showed moderate associations between the global composite of MC and executive functioning; however, it seems that processing speed plays an important role in this association. The results also show that children with high MC have better cognitive performances particularly in tasks with higher complexity.