title: Relations of Preschoolers' Visual-Motor and Object Manipulation Skills With Executive Function and Social Behavior.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article was to examine specific linkages between early visual-motor integration skills and executive function, as well as between early object manipulation skills and social behaviors in the classroom during the preschool year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two children aged 3 to 5 years old (Mage= 4.31 years) were recruited to participate. Comprehensive measures of visual-motor integration skills, object manipulation skills, executive function, and social behaviors were administered in the fall and spring of the preschool year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings indicated that children who had better visual-motor integration skills in the fall had better executive function scores (B = 0.47 [0.20], p < .05, β = .27) in the spring of the preschool year after controlling for age, gender, Head Start status, and site location, but not after controlling for children's baseline levels of executive function. In addition, children who demonstrated better object manipulation skills in the fall showed significantly stronger social behavior in their classrooms (as rated by teachers) in the spring, including more self-control (B - 0.03 [0.00], p < .05, β = .40), more cooperation (B = 0.02 [0.01], p < .05, β = .28), and less externalizing/hyperactivity (B = - 0.02 [0.01], p < .05, β = - .28) after controlling for social behavior in the fall and other covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children's visual-motor integration and object manipulation skills in the fall have modest to moderate relations with executive function and social behaviors later in the preschool year. These findings have implications for early learning initiatives and school readiness.
authors.affiliation: a Oregon State University.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.affiliation: b Oregon State University-Cascades.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lipscomb
authors.affiliation: a Oregon State University.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.affiliation: c University of California, Irvine.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: d Western Carolina University.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: a Oregon State University.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: a Oregon State University.
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kile
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D000068356:Self-Control; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: Head Start; school readiness