The effectiveness of perceptual-motor skills training on executive functions in students with dysgraphia

Mutlaq, Amir Reza Falahatgar; Hosseinkhanzadeh, Abbas Ali; Abolghasemi, Abbas · 2024 · Crossref

DOI: 10.61186/jcmh.11.2.5

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Summary

This study investigates the effectiveness of perceptual-motor skills training on the executive functions of students with dysgraphia. Dysgraphia is characterized by significant difficulties in writing, including issues with letter formation, spacing, spelling, and fine motor coordination, often accompanied by deficits in cognitive abilities such as working memory and inhibition. Given the established relationship between motor development and cognitive performance, the researchers aimed to determine if targeted perceptual-motor intervention could enhance executive functions in this population. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The participants were male students aged 8 to 12 diagnosed with dysgraphia who had referred to learning disability centers in Rasht, Iran, during the 2023–2024 academic year. Initially, 30 students were selected via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=13) or a control group (n=13). Two participants from each group dropped out, resulting in a final sample of 13 per group. The experimental group underwent twelve 45-minute sessions of the Werner-Rini perceptual-motor skills program, conducted three times a week. The control group received routine training provided by the centers and was given a summary of the intervention after the study concluded. Data were collected using the Minnesota Handwriting Test and the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale for Children and Adolescents (BDEFS-CA). Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS-26. The results demonstrated that perceptual-motor skills training significantly improved executive functions in students with dysgraphia compared to the control group (F=28.87, P<0.05). Specifically, the intervention led to significant improvements in all measured components of executive function: self-management of time (F=8.21, P<0.05), self-organization/problem-solving (F=5.77, P<0.05), self-control/inhibition (F=6.50, P<0.05), self-motivation (F=11.04, P<0.05), and emotional self-regulation (F=5.17, P<0.05). Lower scores on the BDEFS-CA indicate higher executive function performance, and the experimental group showed significantly lower post-test scores across all domains. The effect size for the total executive function score was substantial (eta-squared = 0.557). The authors conclude that perceptual-motor training enhances executive functions by stimulating neural pathways and promoting neurogenesis, thereby improving the interaction between the brain cortex and cerebellum. This suggests that such training is a viable rehabilitation strategy for students with dysgraphia. The study acknowledges limitations, including the use of convenience sampling, participant attrition, reliance on self-report questionnaires, and the lack of a follow-up assessment. The researchers recommend future studies employ random sampling, include follow-up phases, and utilize performance-based tests to validate these findings.

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• hazard perception training