title: Left- versus right-hand tracking performance by right-handed boys and girls: examination of performance asymmetry.
abstract: This study compared left- versus right-hand performance within healthy, right-handed, 8- or 9-yr.-old boys and girls on a finger-movement tracking task. 38 boys and 38 girls were randomly assigned to use either the left hand first and right hand second or vice versa in tracking a sine wave target with extension and flexion movements of the index finger. The data were analyzed with a three-way analysis of variance with repeated measures followed by pair-wise comparisons with a Bonferroni correction. Analysis yielded a significant hand x test interaction and a significant improvement for subjects tracking with the right hand on Test 1 and left hand on Test 2. No significant change occurred for subjects tracking with the left hand on Test 1 and right hand on Test 2. No interaction was observed with sex as a factor. This study suggests that asymmetry of performance favoring the left hand occurs in right-handed boys and girls during finger-movement tracking.
authors.affiliation: Program in Physical Therapy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: Kathleen T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Comnick
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lojovich
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Lindgren
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*