Parental Insights Into Everyday Motor Skills Uncover Distinct Profiles in Autism and ADHD

PURPOSE: Autistic and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children often present motor skill difficulties that may affect everyday participation. This study aimed to investigate parent-reported everyday motor profiles in autistic and ADHD children compared with typically developing (TD) peers, examine concordance between performance-based and parent-report motor assessments, and identify motor items that best differentiate these groups. METHODS: Parents of autistic (n = 50), ADHD (n = 23), and TD (n = 71) children completed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition-Checklist (MABC-2-CL). Concordance between MABC-2-CL and the MABC-2 Test was calculated. Group differences in everyday motor profiles were analyzed while controlling for potential non-motor influences. RESULTS: Concordance between MABC-2 Test and MABC-2-CL scores was 75% in TD children, 70% in autistic children, and 52% in children with ADHD. Both clinical groups showed greater parent-reported motor difficulties than TD peers. Autistic children demonstrated particular challenges in dynamic environments. Non-motor factors did not account for group differences. Ball skills, balance, navigational skills, and manual dexterity most strongly differentiated autistic from TD children, while balance and navigational skills differentiated ADHD from TD. Only ball skills distinguished autistic from ADHD children. CONCLUSION: Distinct parent-reported motor profiles characterize autism and ADHD. These findings support differences in visual-motor integration in autism and highlight the value of parental reports for understanding everyday motor challenges and informing participation-focused interventions.