Influence of Sex, Family Structure, and Access to Technology on the Motor Development of Children Aged 24 to 48 Months.

Background/

Objectives

This study aimed to analyze the influence of sex, the presence of siblings, and the duration of exposure to technology on the development of gross and fine motor skills in children aged between 24 and 48 months, using the PDMS-2 battery as the assessment instrument.

Methods

The sample comprised 193 children, distributed across three age groups: 24 months (N = 22), 36 months (N = 78), and 48 months (N = 93). The assessed skills included Postural Control, Locomotion, Object Manipulation, Fine Grasping, and Visual-Motor Integration, grouped into the domains of Gross Motor and Fine Motor development. Statistical analysis was conducted using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, complemented by the epsilon squared (ε2) effect size measure.

Results

The results revealed statistically significant differences between sexes, with girls demonstrating superior performance in Fine Motor and Visual-Motor Integration tasks, particularly at 36 and 48 months (p < 0.05; ε2 up to 0.22). The presence of siblings showed a positive impact only at 36 months, while the duration of exposure to technology did not present a significant association with motor performance at any age group.

Conclusions

The Total Motor Quotient (TMQ) varied according to the variables analyzed, reinforcing the notion that motor development is multifactorial and sensitive to familial and social contexts. These findings highlight the importance of considering both environmental and biological factors when designing motor intervention strategies in early childhood.