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ABSTRACT: In previous papers (Sims, Henderson, Hulme, & Morton, 1996a; Sims, Henderson, Morton, & Hulme, 1996b) we have found that the motor skills of clumsy children are capable of significant improvement following relatively brief interventions. Most remarkably, this included a 10-minute intervention while testing the kinaesthetic acuity of the children using a staircase method (Pest). In this paper, we show that Pest testing improves the kinaesthetic acuity of normal children as well. We analyse the available data on the development and improvement of motor skills and kinaesthetic acuity and derive a causal model for the underlying skills. We show that at least three independent cognitive/biological components are required to account for the data. These three components are affected differently by the various interventions that have been tried. We deduce that improvement on a general test of motor impairment can be found as a result of training in kinaesthetic acuity or through other, independent factors.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 08/1998; 39(5):731-46. · 4.28 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The effectiveness of a kinaesthetic training programme proposed by Laszlo for children with movement difficulties was evaluated by comparing two groups of 10 'clumsy' children matched pairwise on age, IQ and sex as well as degree of kinaesthetic and motor impairment. Tests of kinaesthetic ability, using the Parameter Estimation by Sequential Testing (PEST) procedure, and motor competence administered before and after treatment revealed an improvement in both groups on all measures but no differential effect of the training programme. Immediately after training, the changes we obtained in motor performance were confined to balance skills but, at follow up, 3 months later, changes in manual and ball skills were also evident. This unusual pattern of change requires replication. Our findings forced us to consider the possibility that any effect of Laszlo's recommended training programme had been obscured by our use of the PEST procedure, which had in itself facilitated motor learning.
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 12/1996; 38(11):976-87. · 2.92 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The paper reports the second of two studies designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Kinaesthetic Training Programme (Laszlo and Bairstow, 1985) for children with movement difficulties. Three groups of 12 children were matched on age, IQ and sex as well as degree of kinaesthetic and motor impairment. One group received the Laszlo training, another received a training programme designed to avoid explicit reference to kinaesthesis and the third group received no training. Children receiving no intervention failed to show a change in performance. By contrast, the motor competence of both groups of treated children improved significantly. There was no advantage for the Laszlo trained group. It seems that in designing a remediation programme for clumsy children, the way that training is presented is as important as its actual content.
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 12/1996; 38(11):988-97. · 2.92 Impact Factor
