WITHDRAWN: The Difference in Fine Motor Performance Between Saudi Boys and Girls in Preschool Age: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background Fine motor skills in form of grasping and visual motor integration are essential to social and emotional adaptation in preschool age, it may different in age and gender which affect the performance of the child in school. Methods Three hundred children aged three to six years old were recruited at public and private preschools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 150 boys and 150 girls were divided into three groups each by age: (1) three to four years, (2) four to five years and (3) five to six years. Fine motor skills were assessed one time using the grasping and visual-motor integration subtests of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition (PDMS-2). The raw scores and age equivalences of the subtests were evaluated. Results There were no significant gender differences in the mean raw scores or age equivalence results on either set of subtests. The youngest group had significantly lower mean visual-motor integration, grasping and age equivalence scores than either of the other age groups (separately for boys and girls). Conclusion In a sample of Saudi preschool children, there were no significant gender differences in grasping or visual-motor integration fine motor skills, and age differences seemed to be developmentally appropriate