Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff
Executive functions (EFs) and motor skills are essential for many school and daily tasks. Many school-based occupational therapists need help addressing EFs. The current study aims to provide new insights into the relationship between executive functions and motor development by considering confound...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/2/191 |
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| author | María José López-de-la-Fuente Víctor Berdejo Silvia Madrona-Velasco Laura Gonzalo-Ciria Laura Lasso-Olayo Carmen López-de-la-Fuente |
| author_facet | María José López-de-la-Fuente Víctor Berdejo Silvia Madrona-Velasco Laura Gonzalo-Ciria Laura Lasso-Olayo Carmen López-de-la-Fuente |
| author_sort | María José López-de-la-Fuente |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Executive functions (EFs) and motor skills are essential for many school and daily tasks. Many school-based occupational therapists need help addressing EFs. The current study aims to provide new insights into the relationship between executive functions and motor development by considering confounding factors. Ninety-six second-grade children were tested in one state-funded (public) school and another state-subsidised private school. Children were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions in Children, and Test of Perception of Differences–R. Families completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, and teachers completed a previous questionnaire and subsequently evaluated the information the occupational therapist provided. Mixed results were obtained regarding the correlation between motor and executive skills. Furthermore, children who received worse scores on the MABC-2 had more difficulties on the EFs tests. The Impulsivity Control Index was not correlated with any motor variable. Our results show that sociodemographic variables (except gender) correlate more with EFs than motor skills. The teachers showed a high degree of agreement with the occupational therapist (4.0 ± 0.8), even in children with good academic performance. They expressed the need for additional training and classroom interventions. A joint vision of motor-executive functioning can facilitate the design of effective interventions, especially in schools with more disadvantaged populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:34:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c472691a815b43a68a3116fac0deb8aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:34:53Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c472691a815b43a68a3116fac0deb8aa2024-02-23T15:14:31ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022024-02-0114219110.3390/educsci14020191Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School StaffMaría José López-de-la-Fuente0Víctor Berdejo1Silvia Madrona-Velasco2Laura Gonzalo-Ciria3Laura Lasso-Olayo4Carmen López-de-la-Fuente5Department of Physiatry and Nursing, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Applied Physics, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainASERHCO Rehabilitación y Salud, 50010 Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, King Juan Carlos University, 28922 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiatry and Nursing, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Applied Physics, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainExecutive functions (EFs) and motor skills are essential for many school and daily tasks. Many school-based occupational therapists need help addressing EFs. The current study aims to provide new insights into the relationship between executive functions and motor development by considering confounding factors. Ninety-six second-grade children were tested in one state-funded (public) school and another state-subsidised private school. Children were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions in Children, and Test of Perception of Differences–R. Families completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, and teachers completed a previous questionnaire and subsequently evaluated the information the occupational therapist provided. Mixed results were obtained regarding the correlation between motor and executive skills. Furthermore, children who received worse scores on the MABC-2 had more difficulties on the EFs tests. The Impulsivity Control Index was not correlated with any motor variable. Our results show that sociodemographic variables (except gender) correlate more with EFs than motor skills. The teachers showed a high degree of agreement with the occupational therapist (4.0 ± 0.8), even in children with good academic performance. They expressed the need for additional training and classroom interventions. A joint vision of motor-executive functioning can facilitate the design of effective interventions, especially in schools with more disadvantaged populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/2/191child developmentassessmentsociodemographic factorsexecutive functionsmotor skillsoccupational therapy |
| spellingShingle | María José López-de-la-Fuente Víctor Berdejo Silvia Madrona-Velasco Laura Gonzalo-Ciria Laura Lasso-Olayo Carmen López-de-la-Fuente Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff Education Sciences child development assessment sociodemographic factors executive functions motor skills occupational therapy |
| title | Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff |
| title_full | Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff |
| title_short | Assessment of Executive Functions in School Considering Motor and Sociodemographic Factors: A Joint Vision for School-Based Occupational Therapists and School Staff |
| title_sort | assessment of executive functions in school considering motor and sociodemographic factors a joint vision for school based occupational therapists and school staff |
| topic | child development assessment sociodemographic factors executive functions motor skills occupational therapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/2/191 |
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