Performance of Bimanual Circles and Lines by Adults with Down Syndrome

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate differences among information that varied in interference during drawing tasks in adults with DS. Adults with DS and two comparison groups (Mental Age = MA; Chronological Age = CA) drew bimanual circles and lines coordinated with 3 decreasing rate metronomes: visual information in front of the participant (visual interference), visual information under the hands (reduced visual interference), and auditory information (no visual interference). There were no group differences between metronome conditions, although adults with DS maintained a constant rate despite changing metronome rates. For measures of between hand coordination, the MA group was more variable than adults with DS and the CA group and circles were more variable than lines. These results suggest that adults with DS have difficulty following timing information, regardless of type, for repetitive tasks.

Reversal of handedness effects on bimanual coordination in adults with Down syndrome

“…In addition, the stability of movement patterns is related to the type of task performed. For example, Ringenbach et al . (2003) found standard deviations of 31.6° for a circle‐drawing task, compared to only 20.5° for a line‐drawing task.…”

“…Researchers classified participants as right‐handed or non‐right‐handed based on the criteria used in previous motor control research as the standards for excluding non‐right‐handed participants (e.g. Ringenbach et al . 2002, 2003; Robertson et al .…”

“…Researchers classified participants as righthanded or non-right-handed based on the criteria used in previous motor control research as the standards for excluding non-right-handed participants (e.g. Ringenbach et al 2002Ringenbach et al , 2003Robertson et al 2002). If at least 15 of the 21 items were performed with the right hand, the participant was classified as right-handed.…”

“…Yet, most studies have simply excluded non‐right‐handed participants from research on motor control in people with DS (Elliott 1985; Elliott et al . 1987; Ringenbach et al . 2002, 2003, 2006; Robertson et al .…”

“…Considering both the increased prevalence of non-right-handedness and evidence for reduced hand asymmetries in manual performance, additional examination of the effects of handedness in people with DS is necessary. Yet, most studies have simply excluded non-righthanded participants from research on motor control in people with DS (Elliott 1985;Elliott et al 1987;Ringenbach et al 2002Ringenbach et al , 2003Robertson et al 2002). When trying to examine deficits and determine the most effective methods for instructing adults with DS, both the research and the benefits of it should be applicable to more than half the population.…”