The purposes of the present study are to try to establish whether perception and motor skill are determinant factors of performance on the Bender-Gestalt Test and to investigate the degree of relationship and importance of each factor on the B-G-T.

Despite conflicting evidence regarding advanced motor behaviour in black African infants, very few comparative studies have been published. Reliable developmental norms for local populations are essential for the early identification of developmental disabilities. In this study the sample consisted of 681 black and 741 white infants drawn proportionally from the Child Health Care Clinics in the northern areas of greater Cape Town. Babies were sampled in specified age-intervals between the ages of 16 and 1170 days. Variables studied were sex, birth-ranking, weight-percentile at the time of testing, marital status of the mother, parents' education and occupation, family size and family income. The demographic characteristics of the sample were compared with those of the population as a whole, based upon the 1980 census. The testing instruments were the gross and fine motor-adaptive sections of the Denver Developmental Screening Test, supplemented by another 21 items representing reflex reactions or specific components of movement. These supplementary items were pre-tested for inter- and intra-observer reliability. The percentage of children responding to the different tests at different ages was determined by probit analysis or, where more appropriate, by non-parametric logistic regression. Differences between the black and white South African infants were subjected to further statistical analysis, as was the contribution of the different variables to the attainment age. Comparison of the performance of the South African infants with the Denver norms showed that both black and white babies were in advance of the Denver children on the majority of fine motor items. The black infants were also considerably advanced in gross motor behaviour; the white infants less markedly so. In the very few (3) items in which the Denver children excelled, doubts exist regarding either scoring criteria or cultural suitability. Comparative analysis of the two South African samples identified certain consistent developmental trends. The black infants performed better on basic grasping patterns whereas the white infants were advanced in manipulative skills. The black infants were advanced on gross motor behaviour in the first year but were overtaken by the white group on learned gross motor skills in the second and third year, with the exception of items requiring physical strength. Very little correlation could be shown between motor achievement and socio- economic factors. Differences appear to be largely due to child-handling practices and experiential learning, but ethnic characteristics may well play a role in the advanced early gross motor development of the black infant. Heavier infants also performed better in both groups, indicating nutritional influences. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed and recommendations made for implementation and for further research.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Soft motoric skill of a pre-school child and its development is an important part of an educational process in a nursery school. The soft motoric skill is very significant for a further succes in a school and there is more or less attention devoted to this topic in educational programs as well. The aim of my thesis is to determine the effect of selected hand works to the motoric skill. I have divided this thesis into theoretical and research part. The theoretical part is aimed at traditional textile techniques and their development from history to present, specificities of pre-school children, a development of soft motoric skill, upper limbs, a skeleton and muscles. Research section contains the results of a survey of contemporary interest in traditional manual works and identifies what impact has the manual works on the soft motoric skill of an early child. I have created an experimental and control group of children of around the same age and abilities. The experimental group participated a course of hand works. In post-tests I've found that there is a significant difference between the experimental and control group. The research has confirmed the positive impact of the activities that support the soft motoric skill by using the selected techniques of work.

De acordo com o efeito da interferência contextual (EIC), a prática variada aleatória ou prática com alta interferência contextual (abcbcacbabac) proporciona pior desempenho de aquisição, porém melhor transferência e retenção em comparação à prática variada em blocos ou prática com baixa interferência contextual (aaaabbbbcccc). Entretanto, muitas pesquisas não confirmaram totalmente o EIC, o que põe em dúvida a aplicação do princípio no domínio motor. Através de um procedimento metodológico que prolongou a transferência (aumento do número de tentativas), o objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar se o EIC é um fator duradouro, temporário ou inexistente. Trinta e seis escolares do sexo feminino, com idades entre 12 e 14 anos, foram distribuídas em dois grupos de prática variada em função dos resultados de um teste de entrada: grupo aleatório e grupo em blocos. As tarefas de aquisição foram os saques de voleibol por baixo e por cima, a dois alvos afixados no solo. A tarefa de transferência foi o saque japonês a um terceiro alvo. Todos os saques foram executados a cinco metros da rede. O experimento constou de quatro fases: teste de entrada (oito tentativas), fase de aquisição (288 tentativas), fase de transferência (84 tentativas) e fase de retenção (12 tentativas). Os resultados das medidas de precisão e de padrão de movimento mostraram que não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos em nenhum dos blocos do experimento. Logo, a estrutura da prática variada não influiu de forma significante no desempenho da tarefa nova. Ademais, os resultados não deram suporte à hipótese de MAGILL & HALL (1990), segundo a qual o EIC ocorre quando as variações da tarefa pertencem a programas motores diferentes. Ainda, o presente estudo reforçou a tendência de que o EIC não ocorre com crianças e com a utilização de tarefas de campo. / According to the contextual interference effect (CIE), practicing several motor skills under random practice or high contextual interference practice (abcbcacbabac) facilitates retention and transfer in comparison to practicing the same tasks under blocked practice or low contextual interference practice (aaaabbbbcccc). This learning phenomenon has led to a considerable amount of research. However, no definite trend in the results has been found, which makes its acceptance in the motor learning domain questionable. By extending the transfer phase (increasing the number of transfer trials), the aim of this study was to assess whether the CIE is temporary, lasting or non-existent. Accordingly, based on the scores of the pre-test, thirty-six schoolgirls (12 -14 years of age) were allocated to either a blocked or a random group. The acquisition tasks were the underhand and overhand volleyball serves, to two targets placed on the floor. The transfer task was the round house (Asian floater) volleyball serve to a third target. All serves were performed five meters away from the net. The experimental design consisted of four phases: pre-test (eight trials), acquisition (288 trials), transfer (84 trials) and retention (12 trials). The results of precision and movement pattern measures did not provide support to the CIE, since there were no significant statistical differences between the groups in any of the phases. The structure of variable practice did not affect the performance of the new task. Likewise, there was no support to the MAGILL & HALL (1990) hypothesis that, when task variations involve learning of different motor programs, the benefit of random practice over blocked practice would be found. Moreover, the present study reinforced the trend that the CIE does not take place in children as well as with field tasks.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar o efeito do conhecimento sobre a presença da câmera filmadora no desempenho motor avaliado pelo teste de desenvolvimento motor global (TGMD-2; Ulrich, 2000). Participaram da pesquisa 31 escolares do gênero masculino, com idades entre 7 e 9 anos. O questionário de ansiedade traço-estado IDATE-C foi utilizado para avaliar os níveis de ansiedade, antes e durante a realização do teste. As 12 habilidades motoras do TGMD-2 foram executadas em duas situações, com câmera visível e com câmera oculta. Cada participante foi testado nas duas condições, com intervalo de três meses entre elas. Em ambos os momentos de coleta, empregou-se um procedimento de contrabalanceamento da amostra em cada condição. Os testes t para amostras dependentes indicaram que houve diferenças significativas entre as duas condições, com desempenhos melhores para a condição de câmera visível no subteste controle de objeto e no coeficiente motor geral. Não foram encontradas correlações significativas entre ansiedade e desempenho motor. Além disso, em ambas as condições, o teste qui-quadrado apontou frequências maiores no nível muito pobre de coordenação motora grossa em relação aos níveis pobre e abaixo da média. Os resultados foram discutidos com base em teorias de motivação para o desempenho (autodeterminação, fluxo e nível de ativação) / The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of knowledge about the camcorders presence on motor performance assessed by the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2; Ulrich, 2000). Participants were 31 male scholars, ranging from 7 to 9 years of age, who responded the STAI trait-state anxiety questionnaire, before and during the motor test. The 12 motor skills of the TGMD-2 were performed in two conditions: visible and hidden cam. Each participant was tested on both conditions, with a three-month time interval. A procedure of counterbalancing the sample in each condition were used for both moments. T tests for paired samples indicated significant differences between conditions, the performances having been better when the cam was visible in the subtest object control and in the general gross motor quotient. No significant correlations were detected among anxiety and motor performance. Moreover, on both conditions, the chi-square test showed that the level very poor on gross co-ordination were more frequent than the other levels (poor and below average). The findings were discussed through motivation theories about performance (self-determination, flow, and arousal)

O conhecimento de características das pessoas auxilia a individualizar a maneira de estruturar a prática de tarefas, o fornecimento de informação e a seleção de pessoas mais aptas a desempenhar certas funções. Há evidências de que essas características individuais, como traços de personalidade, podem afetar a aprendizagem de habilidades motoras. Investigar o efeito de diferentes estruturas de prática na aquisição de uma habilidade motora em indivíduos extrovertidos e introvertidos foi o objetivo deste trabalho. Noventa e seis universitários de ambos os sexos foram selecionados depois de responder o EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire). A tarefa envolveu o pressionamento seqüencial de teclas em duas fases: aquisição (108 tentativas, em três variações da tarefa, exceto os grupos de prática constante, que executaram apenas uma variação) e transferência (imediata e atrasada, cada uma com 12 tentativas). Os participantes foram alocados em seis grupos de prática, formados com a combinação do traço Extroversão/Introversão e a estrutura de prática (constante, blocos e aleatória). As medidas envolveram o erro global, o erro de timing relativo e o erro de timing absoluto. Os resultados indicaram que, além de ter havido aprendizagem da tarefa motora, o desempenho dos introvertidos em relação aos extrovertidos foi melhor no início da aquisição e pior na transferência. Conclui-se que, independentemente da estrutura de prática, as características individuais relativas à Extroversão/Introversão influenciam não só o desempenho, mas também a aprendizagem motora / The knowledge of personal characteristics aids to individualize the way practice is scheduled and information is provided, as well as to selecting better suitable people to carry out certain functions. There is evidence that these individual characteristics, for instance personality traits, might affect the learning of motor skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different practice schedules on the acquisition of a motor skill in extraverts and introverts. 96 undergraduate students were selected after answering the EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire). The task involved a sequential key-press and the design comprised two phases: acquisition (108 trials, at three task variations, except the constant groups, which performed only one variation) and transfer (immediate and delayed, 12 trials each). The participants were allocated in one of six practice groups, formed by the combination of Extraversion/Introversion trait and the practice schedule (constant, blocked and random). Measurement involved global error, relative timing error and absolute timing error. The results showed that, not only did learning occur, but also the performance of introverts, in comparison with extraverts, was higher at the beginning of acquisition and lower on transfer. As a conclusion, regardless of the practice schedule, individual characteristics of Extraversion/Introversion have influence over motor performance, as well as over motor learning

A fala é definida como a representação motora da Linguagem, a partir da coordenação de três processos neurológicos: organização de conceitos, formulação e expressão simbólica; programação do ato motor envolvido na produção da fala e a sua própria produção motora. O controle motor da fala, que ordena a contração muscular para a sua execução de praxias, inclui o planejamento, a preparação de movimentos e a execução de planos, com vistas a contrações musculares e deslocamentos de estruturas que culminarão na articulação da fala. Os trabalhos científicos nacionais e internacionais vislumbram um novo campo de atuação fonoaudiológica para o trabalho com a fala alterada, com a estimulação da praxias não verbais. Os objetivos deste trabalho centram-se na elaboração de um Programa de Intervenção Práxico-produtivo e aplicação em crianças com transtorno fonológico, para verificar sua aplicabilidade na clínica fonoaudiológica. O trabalho foi dividido em 2 etapas. A 1ª etapa contou com a revisão, na bibliografia nacional e internacional, do tratamento dado às praxias orais e não verbais e suas aplicações clínicas no âmbito fonoaudiológico, por meio de busca nas bases de dados PubMed, Lilacs e Scielo. Os artigos mostraram que a praxia não verbal pode ser estimulada para o trabalho clínico com a fala, no entanto, não há descrição do trabalho fonoaudiológico, tampouco um detalhamento de exercícios em sequência que poderiam ser usados. Nenhum artigo referiu o modo pelo qual as praxias não verbais deveriam ser trabalhadas, nem mesmo como se deve estimular a programação motora para a fala. Baseados nessa revisão, este estudo propôs um programa de estimulação das praxias não verbais de lábios e língua e dos aspectos fonológicos em 12 sessões pré-determinadas. Após elaboração do programa, aplicouse o material em 12 crianças, com idades entre 6 e 8 anos, com transtorno fonológico, que se enquadravam nos critérios de inclusão do estudo, para mostrar sua aplicabilidade na clínica. Os resultados apontaram melhora da realização da fala em todos os sujeitos, no tempo estipulado pelo instrumento, com escores superiores nas provas avaliativas de fonologia e praxias orais pós-intervenção, quando comparadas aos scores da pré-intervenção. O Programa de Intervenção Práxico-produtivo mostrou-se útil, simples, de fácil aplicação pelo fonoaudiólogo e de bom entendimento pelos participantes, com respostas favoráveis à aquisição dos fonemas. / Speech is defined as the motor representation of language from the coordination of three neurological processes: organization of concepts, formulation and symbolic expression; programming of motor act involved in speech production and its own motor production. The speech motor control, which orders the muscle contraction for its execution, includes the planning, preparation of movements and execution of plans, with a view to muscle contractions and movements of structures that will culminate in speech. National and international scientific papers envision a new field of speech therapy to work with altered speech with the stimulation of non-verbal praxis. The objectives of the present study focuses on the development of a Program of Praxis- Productive Intervention and its application in children with phonological disorder in order to verify its usability in speech therapy. The study was defined in 2 parts. The 1st stage included a review of the national and international literature for the treatment of oral and non-verbal praxis and its clinical applications in the area of speech by searching in the PubMed, Lilacs and Scielo databases. The articles showed that nonverbal praxis can be stimulated for clinical work with speech, however, there is no description of speech therapy work, nor a breakdown of exercises in sequence that could be used. No article referred to the way in which non-verbal praxis should be worked, not even how to stimulate motor programming for speech. Based on this review, the present study proposed a stimulation program of non-verbal praxis of the lips and tongue and the phonological aspects in 12 predetermined sessions. After drawing up the program, the material was applied to 12 children, aged between 6 and 8 years with phonological disorder that met the inclusion criteria of the study in order to show their applicability in practice. The results showed improvement in the realization of Speech in all subjects at the time stipulated by the instrument, with higher scores on the evaluative evidence of Phonology and Oral Praxis post-intervention compared to the scores of pre-intervention. The Praxis-productive intervention program was useful, simple, easy to apply by the speech patologist and had a good understanding by the participants with favorable responses for the acquisition of phonemes.