What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to explore how individual and contextual factors affect motor development in early childhood.

June 5, 2026Open Access

Early motor inequities: how birth conditions and social context shape motor development in the first five years of life

Key Points

The research aims to explore how individual and contextual factors affect motor development in early childhood.
Assessments were conducted using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales–Second Edition (PDMS-2) on 626 children aged 0 to 5 years.
Both preterm and full-term children were included to compare motor performance across various conditions and contexts.
Analysis focused on factors like gestational age, birth weight, and socioeconomic status.
77.8% of children demonstrated average motor performance, with full-term children showing higher overall scores compared to preterm children.
Children from higher-income families had better gross motor and balance scores, highlighting socioeconomic disparities.
Urban children scored higher in motor skills compared to those in rural areas, indicating the impact of living environment.

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of individual factors (gestational age, birth weight, and body length) and contextual factors (socioeconomic status, school attendance, and region of residence) on motor development in children aged 0 to 5 years. A total of 626 preterm and full-term children were assessed using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales–Second Edition (PDMS-2). Most children (77.8%) demonstrated average motor performance, while 17.7% scored below average. Full-term children showed higher total motor quotients and fine-motor grasping scores compared with preterm children, and children with low birth weight performed more poorly in object manipulation tasks. Significant socioeconomic disparities were identified: children from higher-income families exhibited better gross motor and stationary balance scores. School attendance was associated with higher total motor quotients and superior performance in stationary balance, grasping, and visuomotor integration, underscoring the developmental value of early educational environments. Children residing in urban areas demonstrated higher scores across most PDMS-2 subscales compared with those living in rural regions. Overall, the findings reveal that both biological vulnerabilities and social environments play important roles in shaping early motor development. Early identification of risk and implementation of targeted interventions across health, education, and community settings are essential for reducing motor development inequities during early childhood.

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