Do Motor Difficulties in Infancy Predict 7-year-olds' Behavioural Health? Findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine whether fine- and gross-motor skills in infancy predict child behavioral health at 7 years of age.

Study design

Longitudinal cohort data from 6,709 English children were analyzed using regression techniques to investigate whether fine- and gross-motor skills at 18 months, measured by Denver developmental categorized age-adjusted Z-scores, predicted behavioral health at 7 years of age, measured by the total-score on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

Results

A dose-response relationship exists between fine-motor skills at 18 months and behavioral health at 7 years of age. In fully-adjusted models, (cumulative sociodemographic risk, sex, history of maternal psychological difficulties, gross-motor skills, and gestational age), the odds of

SUBMITTER: Butler E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12356018 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature