Motor Skills, Social Skills and Autism

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly recently published research on the link between motor skill deficits and autism.  The participants in the study included 35, 6-15 year olds, with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  The researchers looked at object control skills i.e. catching and throwing and locomotor skills i.e. walking, running and jumping.  Holding constant for age, IQ, ethnicity, gender, and clinical ASD diagnosis, the researchers tested the relationship of motor skills on social communicative skills. The following results were recorded:

• the students who had difficulties with object-control motor skills were more likely to have more severe social and communication skills than those who tested higher on the motor skills test.

The researchers concluded that the children with weaker motor skills had greater social communicative skill deficits. 

Reference:  Oregon State University. Children with delayed motor skills struggle more socially. Retrieved from the web on 9/23/13 at http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2013/jul/children-delayed-motor-skills-struggle-more-socially

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