The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children
BackgroundMotor coordination difficulties could contribute to social communication deficits in autistic children. However, the exploration of the mechanism implicated in these claims has been limited by the lack of potential confounders such as executive function (EF).MethodsWe investigated the role...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1363406/full |
| _version_ | 1797244388705828864 |
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| author | Tingfeng Gu Chengkai Jin Lizi Lin Xin Wang Xiuhong Li Jin Jing Muqing Cao |
| author_facet | Tingfeng Gu Chengkai Jin Lizi Lin Xin Wang Xiuhong Li Jin Jing Muqing Cao |
| author_sort | Tingfeng Gu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundMotor coordination difficulties could contribute to social communication deficits in autistic children. However, the exploration of the mechanism implicated in these claims has been limited by the lack of potential confounders such as executive function (EF).MethodsWe investigated the role that EF plays in the relationship between motor coordination and social communication in a school-aged autistic population via a structural model in a statistically robust manner. The results of questionnaires, including the Developmental Coordination Disorder questionnaire, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Social Responsiveness Scale, were collected to measure motor coordination, social communication deficits, and EF.ResultsA total of 182 autistic children (7.61±1.31 years, 87.9% boys) were included in the final analysis. In the model with EF as a mediator, the total effect (β=-0.599, P<0.001) and the direct effect (β=-0.331, P =0.003) of motor coordination function on social communication were both significant among autistic children without intellectual disability (ID), as were indirect effects through EF (β=-0.268, P<0.001).ConclusionEF partially mediates the motor coordination and social communication correlation among autistic children. We suggest that motor coordination should be included in the routine evaluation of autistic surveillance and rehabilitation procedures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:10:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09f7482d203f475792970209c8a6e30f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:10:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-09f7482d203f475792970209c8a6e30f2024-03-26T11:28:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402024-03-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.13634061363406The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic childrenTingfeng Gu0Chengkai Jin1Lizi Lin2Xin Wang3Xiuhong Li4Jin Jing5Muqing Cao6Maternal and Child Health Department, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaMaternal and Child Health Department, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaMaternal and Child Health Department, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaMaternal and Child Health Department, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaMaternal and Child Health Department, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaSchool of Sport and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, ChinaBackgroundMotor coordination difficulties could contribute to social communication deficits in autistic children. However, the exploration of the mechanism implicated in these claims has been limited by the lack of potential confounders such as executive function (EF).MethodsWe investigated the role that EF plays in the relationship between motor coordination and social communication in a school-aged autistic population via a structural model in a statistically robust manner. The results of questionnaires, including the Developmental Coordination Disorder questionnaire, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Social Responsiveness Scale, were collected to measure motor coordination, social communication deficits, and EF.ResultsA total of 182 autistic children (7.61±1.31 years, 87.9% boys) were included in the final analysis. In the model with EF as a mediator, the total effect (β=-0.599, P<0.001) and the direct effect (β=-0.331, P =0.003) of motor coordination function on social communication were both significant among autistic children without intellectual disability (ID), as were indirect effects through EF (β=-0.268, P<0.001).ConclusionEF partially mediates the motor coordination and social communication correlation among autistic children. We suggest that motor coordination should be included in the routine evaluation of autistic surveillance and rehabilitation procedures.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1363406/fullautism spectrum disordersmotor coordinationsocial communication deficitsexecutive functionmediating effect |
| spellingShingle | Tingfeng Gu Chengkai Jin Lizi Lin Xin Wang Xiuhong Li Jin Jing Muqing Cao The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children Frontiers in Psychiatry autism spectrum disorders motor coordination social communication deficits executive function mediating effect |
| title | The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children |
| title_full | The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children |
| title_short | The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children |
| title_sort | relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children |
| topic | autism spectrum disorders motor coordination social communication deficits executive function mediating effect |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1363406/full |
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