Anxiety linked to poor motor skills in children
14 June 2002
Children with poor motor coordination are significantly more prone to anxiety, Perth researchers have found.
Associate Professor Jan Piek, from the school of psychology at Perth's Curtin University of Technology, said a study of 200 children had shown those with developmental coordination disorder were more likely than other children to suffer anxiety.
She told an international conference on child and adolescent mental health in Brisbane this week that the psychological impact of poor ball skills, bad balance and fumbling at fine motor tasks increased as the child entered their teens.
'Australia is so sports-centred that kids tend to rate each other according to how good they are at physical skills,' she said.
Constantly being left out of team sports and being teased by other children contributed to feelings of low self-worth, with adolescents harder hit than 8 to 10-year-olds. Poor motor coordination was also linked to a lack of scholastic ability.
Professor Piek said that occupational therapy could train these children to master particular tasks, but some children may need psychological help with coping skills and building self-esteem.
Last Reviewed: 18 June 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 14/6/02
