Abstract
Motor challenges are commonly reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, there is substantial heterogeneity in motor ability within ASD, and it is unknown what behavioral characteristics best explain individual differences in motor ability in ASD and related conditions. This observational study examined motor ability as a function of sensory features, attention deficit/hyperactivity symptoms, ASD symptoms, and IQ in 110 children with ASD, typical development, or an intermediate behavioral profile. While motor challenges were more prevalent in the ASD group compared to other groups, sensory symptom severity and IQ across all individuals best predicted motor performance above-and-beyond group status. Therefore, motor challenges may be best characterized by individual variation in sensory features and cognitive abilities rather than diagnostic group.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Hartwell Foundation’s Individual Biomedical Award [to BGT], the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [P30 HD003352 and U54 HD090256 to the Waisman Center and R01 HD094715 to BGT and KA]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Child Health & Development or the National Institutes of Health. We sincerely thank all the families who spent their time participating in this study. We thank all the team members of Motor & Brain Development Lab for their incredible work on this project.
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BGT and OJS contributed to the study conception and design. OJS, MW, OZ, and BGT participated in the design and coordination of the study and performed the measurements. OJS, OZ, MW, KA and BGT participated in the interpretation of the data. OJS coordinated and drafted the initial manuscript. All authors commented on subsequent versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Surgent, O.J., Walczak, M., Zarzycki, O. et al. IQ and Sensory Symptom Severity Best Predict Motor Ability in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 243–254 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04536-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04536-x