Motor Skills in Autistic Children with ADHD
Author Information
Author(s): Dionisio Jadiane, de Sá Cristina dos Santos Cardoso, Lúcio Susana de Almeida, Cordovil Rita
Primary Institution: Faculdade de Educação Física e Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil
Hypothesis
A child with ASD associated with ADHD will exhibit lower motor competence compared to ASD without ADHD.
Conclusion
Children with autism exhibit deficits in functional motor skills, with severity impacting motor competence.
Supporting Evidence
- Multiple linear regression revealed a significant inverse correlation between MCA scores and raw CARS data (p = 0.01).
- The correlation was also observed in CARS classifications, with higher autism severity corresponding to lower motor percentiles (p = 0.05).
- A significant correlation was observed (p = 0.006) when analyzing all variables (CARS scores, SNAP scores, and CARS classification).
Takeaway
Kids with autism often have trouble with movement skills, and those with more severe autism have even more difficulties.
Methodology
This cross-sectional study assessed motor competence using the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA), the severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder by Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and the presence of clinical signs for ADHD using the SNAP-IV questionnaire.
Limitations
The small number of children with ASD associated with ADHD limits the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
45 children aged 5 to 11, with 83.72% being male and representing various ethnicities and social classes.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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