Diminished Motor Timing Control in Children Referred for Diagnosis of Learning Problems
Abstract
Disabled readers exhibit motor timing control (MTC) deficits in bimanual coordination relative to average readers. This article evaluates to what extent poor MTC is specific to reading or if it is related to learning problems in general. Children (7 to 11 years of age) referred for learning impairment (LI; n = 100) and same-age children nonlearning impaired (NLI; n = 243) performed a paced finger-tapping task. Greater variability of interresponse intervals was associated with poorer reading, spelling, and arithmetic achievement. The LI group performed more poorly than the NLI group, a difference that persisted even after adjusting for reading skill. Poor MTC is associated with poor reading but may also be a characteristic of children referred for learning problems, possibly signaling increased vulnerability of underlying neural integrative processes relevant to the child's adaptation to academic demands, including reading.
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There is limited literature concerning tests of manual dexterity and school learning difficulties.
“There is limited literature concerning tests of manual dexterity and school learning difficulties (see Rosselli, Ardila, Bateman, & Guzman, 2001;Waber et al., 2000).”
From Validation of a Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY) through comparison of neurological, scholastic concerns, and control groups (2004) · cites this paper as Waber et al., 2000
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- Authors
- Waber, D. P., Weiler, M. D., Bellinger, D. C., Marcus, D. J., Forbes, P. W., Wypij, D., & Wolff, P. H.
- Affiliations
- Boston Children's Hospital (US)
- ORCID
- Wypij, David
- Venue
- Developmental Neuropsychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2000-04
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 181-197
- ISSN
- 1532-6942 (ISSN-L)
- 8756-5641
- OpenAlex
- W2077143044
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 5.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5p50hd033803-05)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P50-HD33803, P30HD018655, P30HD-18655)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Reading and Literacy Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Keywords
- learning disabilities, reading disorders, bimanual coordination, finger tapping, children, reading achievement, spelling, arithmetic
- MeSH terms
- Attention, Child, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Learning Disabilities, Male, Motor Activity, Psychomotor Disorders, Reaction Time
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