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Movement–attention coupling in infancy and attention problems in childhood
Author(s) -
Friedman Allison H,
Watamura Sarah E,
Robertson Steven S
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2005.tb01050.x
Subject(s) - psychology , movement (music) , developmental psychology , checklist , audiology , cognitive psychology , medicine , philosophy , aesthetics
Adaptive behavior requires the integration of body movement and attention. Therefore, individual differences in integration of movement and attention during infancy may have significance for development. We contacted families whose 8‐year‐old children ( n =26; 16 females, 10 males; mean age 8y 2mo, SD 8mo) participated in a previous study of movement‐attention coupling at 1 or 3 months of age, to assess parent‐reported attention or hyperactivity problems using the Child Behavior Checklist and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn) criteria. Parent‐reported attention problems at 8 years of age were associated with less suppression of body movement at onset of looking, and greater rebound of body movement following its initial suppression at 3 months, but not at 1 month. Parent‐reported hyperactivity was not related to any of the infant movement–attention measures. Results suggests that the dynamic integration of movement and attention early in life may have functional significance for the development of attention problems in childhood.