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Cross-cultural Comparison and Relationship of Motor Skills and Executive Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan and the United States

Description: 
Early childhood is a crucial time for the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong wellbeing and learning (Irwin et al., 2007). During this critical period, there is an increased demand for motor skills and executive function (EF) among young children as they move from preschool or home-based care into a more formal school setting like kindergarten (McClelland & Cameron, 2012). However, this transition can be challenging for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who often experience deficits in motor skills and EF, in addition to their core characteristics (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Demetriou et al., 2018; Staples & Reid, 2010). Recent evidence has indicated that motor skills and EF are interrelated among children without ASD (MacDonald et al., 2016; van der Fels et al., 2015). Since motor and EF development is influenced by the cultural context in which children grow up (Venetsanou & Kambas, 2010), a better understanding of cross-cultural similarities or differences in motor skills and EF might contribute to the global perspective regarding the motor skill and EF of children with ASD from western and eastern countries. Yet, no research has been conducted to examine the cross-cultural comparison and relationship of motor skills and EF between children with ASD in the US and Taiwan. Thus, the purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to compare the parent ratings of motor skills and EF in children with ASD in the US and Taiwan and (2) to examine the relationships between parent ratings of motor skills and EF in children with ASD in the US and Taiwan. One hundred and seventy-two parents/ legal guardians of children (4 to 6 years and 11 months old) with ASD were recruited from two countries, Taiwan (n = 100) and the US (n = 72). The parents or guardians of the child with ASD completed an internet-based survey including 66 questions anonymously, as a part of a cross-sectional survey-designed study. One-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and a series of hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to answer the research questions in the present study. The findings of the current study indicated that children with ASD from the US were rated as having better fine and gross motor skills than their peers from Taiwan, while there was no difference in EF ratings. Further, results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that parental ratings of total motor skills, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills were significantly associated with parental ratings of EF in both working memory and inhibition of children with ASD from Taiwan and the US. In addition, these associations were similar between the two countries. The present study represents an important first step in understanding the variability and relationship between parental perceptions of young children with ASD’s motor skills and EF cross-culturally. This study revealed parent ratings of motor skills differences observed in children with ASD from Taiwan and the US. Further, positive associations with specific aspects of parent ratings of fine motor and gross motor skills and working memory and inhibition were found in children with ASD from both countries. These findings have implications for future interventions and programs focused on improving early motor skills and EF development for young children with ASD from Taiwan and the US.
Type: 
Dissertation
Raw Url: 
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu?metadataPrefix=&verb=GetRecord&identifier=ir.library.oregonstate.edu:ns064f216
Repository Record Id: 
ir.library.oregonstate.edu:ns064f216
Record Title: 
Cross-cultural Comparison and Relationship of Motor Skills and Executive Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan and the United States
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/ns064f216
Database: 
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