Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder

Previous studies have demonstrated poor procedural learning of motor sequences in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). These studies have largely relied on the serial reaction time paradigm, and results have not always been conclusive. This study examined procedural learning and...

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Main Authors: Yu-Ting Tseng, Hsinjen Julie Hsu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825005165
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author Yu-Ting Tseng
Hsinjen Julie Hsu
author_facet Yu-Ting Tseng
Hsinjen Julie Hsu
author_sort Yu-Ting Tseng
collection DOAJ
description Previous studies have demonstrated poor procedural learning of motor sequences in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). These studies have largely relied on the serial reaction time paradigm, and results have not always been conclusive. This study examined procedural learning and its association with motor coordination and language ability in children with DCD and typically developing (TD) children, using an ecologically valid knot-tying task. Knot-tying performances, motor skills and language ability were assessed in children with DCD and age- and sex-matched TD children. The DCD group showed longer completion times, lower accuracy, and more error steps than TD peers (all p's < .05). Both completion time and accuracy were significantly correlated with motor skills (manual dexterity and balance) and language ability, with stronger associations observed within the DCD group. These findings extend prior research by demonstrating procedural learning deficits in a functionally relevant, real-world task. The observed associations between knot-tying performances and both motor skills and language ability in the DCD group underscore the need for comprehensive assessments and future studies investigating potential underlying mechanisms linking procedural learning, motor skills, and language development in children with DCD.
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spelling doaj-art-e792985efe8447b2bee8b2a1a65046c82025-08-20T03:31:15ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-08-0125810520310.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105203Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorderYu-Ting Tseng0Hsinjen Julie Hsu1Department of Kinesiology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan; Research Center for Education and Mind Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan; Corresponding author at: Department of Kinesiology &amp; Research Center for Education and Mind Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, No. 521, Nan-Da Rd., Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan.Department of Special Education, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan; Research Center for Education and Mind Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, TaiwanPrevious studies have demonstrated poor procedural learning of motor sequences in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). These studies have largely relied on the serial reaction time paradigm, and results have not always been conclusive. This study examined procedural learning and its association with motor coordination and language ability in children with DCD and typically developing (TD) children, using an ecologically valid knot-tying task. Knot-tying performances, motor skills and language ability were assessed in children with DCD and age- and sex-matched TD children. The DCD group showed longer completion times, lower accuracy, and more error steps than TD peers (all p's < .05). Both completion time and accuracy were significantly correlated with motor skills (manual dexterity and balance) and language ability, with stronger associations observed within the DCD group. These findings extend prior research by demonstrating procedural learning deficits in a functionally relevant, real-world task. The observed associations between knot-tying performances and both motor skills and language ability in the DCD group underscore the need for comprehensive assessments and future studies investigating potential underlying mechanisms linking procedural learning, motor skills, and language development in children with DCD.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825005165DCDLanguageProcedural learningMotor sequence learningKnot-tying taskMotor function
spellingShingle Yu-Ting Tseng
Hsinjen Julie Hsu
Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
Acta Psychologica
DCD
Language
Procedural learning
Motor sequence learning
Knot-tying task
Motor function
title Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
title_full Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
title_fullStr Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
title_full_unstemmed Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
title_short Procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability: Findings from a knot-tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
title_sort procedural performance is linked to motor skills and language ability findings from a knot tying task in children with and without developmental coordination disorder
topic DCD
Language
Procedural learning
Motor sequence learning
Knot-tying task
Motor function
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825005165
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AT hsinjenjuliehsu proceduralperformanceislinkedtomotorskillsandlanguageabilityfindingsfromaknottyingtaskinchildrenwithandwithoutdevelopmentalcoordinationdisorder