The Prevalence of Fine Motor Skill Deficits in Preschoolers With Externalizing Behavior Problems: Implications for Early Screening and School Readiness

The goals of this study were to estimate the prevalence of fine motor deficits in preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBP) and to investigate the links between fine motor and school readiness skills prior to intervention. Participants were 237 preschoolers with EBP (Mean ± SD = 62.97 ± 4.13 months, 72.2% male) enrolled in a comprehensive school readiness summer program single-arm open trial. Manipulation and writing fine motor skills were assessed with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic 3rd edition (LAP-D). School readiness skills were assessed with the Bracken School Readiness Assessment 3rd edition (BSRA-3). Results indicated that 59% of the sample had borderline to significant deficits in manipulation while 44% had borderline to significant deficits in writing. Fine motor scores were significantly associated with total school readiness scores as well as school readiness subtests. Findings underscore the importance of screening fine motor skills during the preschool years to better target early intervention efforts for school readiness in this population.