Laterality, Motor asymmetry and clumsiness

This study explored relationships between clumsiness, laterality and performance asymmetry with particular emphasis on the lower limbs. Coordination levels of two clumsy groups and two coordinated groups (40 per condition) in the age bands of 5 to 6 years and 8 to 9 years were identified using the McCarron (1982) Assessment of Neuromuscular Development. A laterality battery based on Porac and Coren's (1981) Self-Report Inventory was administered behaviourally to identify patterns of laterality across hand. foot, eye and ear. Preference assessment preceded measures of performance of the left and right leg for the stationary repetitive hop, one-leg balance and one-foot tapping. There was a higher incidence of left-eyedness in the clumsy sample which contributed to their reduced degree of laterality across all indexes. The clumsy group had relatively larger differences between the legs for the hop and balance tasks. Despite relatively smaller performance differences, the older coordinated group were better able to match preference and performance.