Poster #45 - Associations between motor and spatial abilities in typical development and in individuals with Williams Syndrome

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Developmental Disabilities

Integrative Statement

Introduction
In typically developing infants, there is a known association between motor ability and spatial abilities (e.g., Clearfield, 2004; Frick & Möhring, 2013; Schwarzer et al, 2013). In the current study, we investigated, firstly, whether the association between motor and spatial abilities found in infants persists into later childhood, and secondly, whether this association was also found in a population who have known motor and spatial deficits. Williams Syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder. Despite a severe deficit in motor abilities in this group, this has scarcely been investigated. The aim of our research was to determine the WS motor profile, and to investigate the relationship between motor ability and the known spatial deficit in WS.

Hypothesis
We predicted that all of the WS group would show deficits in both their fine and gross motor abilities. We also predicted that the association between motor ability and spatial ability would persist into later childhood in typical development, and be present in the WS sample.

Design and Methods
Twenty participants with WS (16-50 years) and 40 typically developing (TD) children (4-7 years) took part. Motor ability was assessed using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test 2 short form (BOT2-SF). Spatial skills were assessed using a block construction task, and a mental rotation task.

Results
Individuals with WS exhibited impaired motor ability, performing within the “well below average” (<2nd percentile) or “below average” zones (3rd-16th percentile) on the BOT2-SF, whereas the typically developing children performed in the ‘average’ (17th-83rd percentile), ‘above average’ (83rd-97th percentile) or ‘well above average’ (>98th percentile) zones.
The overall level of motor ability in the WS group was similar to TD 4-5-year-olds, but importantly their profile of motor skills was atypical, with results showing a particular weakness in balance, and a relative strength in upper limb control.
Correlations were shown between block construction, and both fine and gross motor and between mental rotation and gross motor ability in the WS and TD groups.

Conclusions
The motor abilities of individuals with WS are not featured in the classic phenotypic description, yet are severely impaired in this group. This suggests a need for further consideration of motor abilities in the WS population, particularly where intervention is concerned. The finding of an association between motor ability and spatial ability in both groups was expected, and suggests that better motor skills will continue to aid cognitive development as the child develops. This suggests that the motor impairment in WS might be a limiting factor to the development of spatial ability in this group.

Authors

• Leighanne Amy Mayall, University College London
  Presenting Author

• Emily K. Farran, University College London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hana D'Souza, University of Cambridge & Birkbeck, University of London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aislinn Bowler, UCL
  Non-Presenting Author

• Andrew Tolmie, Institute of Education, UCL
  Non-Presenting Author