This study was designed to assess the relationship of selected
factors to the developmental outcome of fundamental motor
skill performance in young children ages 3 to 6 years residing
in foster or adoptive care, and have a documented history of
prenatal exposure to cocaine and other drugs. Using an
ecological theory of child development and the person-process-context
model, the study focused on the child's development in
selected gross motor skills. Through multiple regression
analysis, the study considered the contributions of the
following on motor skill performance as measured by the Test
of Gross Motor Development: child effortful control as
measured by the Children's Behavior Questionnaire, the
nonbiological mother's parental attitude as measured by the
adapted Parent Attitude Survey, the amount of early
intervention services as recorded in the child's medical
chart. Participants included 28 children (15 males and 13
females) and their foster or adoptive mother.
There is suggestive but inconclusive evidence for the
hypothesis that fundamental motor skill performance is
predicted by the interaction of the child's effortful control,
the nonbiological mother's understanding and confidence, and
the amount of early intervention service the child received,
[F (7, 20)=2.24, p<0.07 ]. Trends in the data suggest
gross motor performance increases with high levels of early
intervention, given children with low effortful control and
low levels of parental confidence and understanding. In
addition, early gross motor scores did not predict fundamental
motor skills, r=.10. Despite a 38% rate of identified early
gross motor delay, no child was delayed in fundamental motor
skill at ages 3 to 6 years. Fundamental motor skill
performance ranged from average to superior, M=121.54.
Motor performance was assessed in a clinical setting and
caution is recommended when considering skill performance
within group settings. Based on this study, children with
prenatal exposure to cocaine/polydrugs are viewed as variable
in temperamental control and gross motor performance, but
perform at an average to above average level in gross motor
skill. Further research is needed to validate trends,
specifically regarding the interactive effects of child
effortful control, parental attitude, and the amount of early
intervention service received. / Graduation date: 1997
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/34395 |
| Date | 08 July 1996 |
| Creators | Leitschuh, Carol A. |
| Contributors | Dunn, John M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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