Presenter Information
Melanie Tommer, Melanie Schultz, Emma Costello, Aleena Purewal
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Nursing
Abstract
Focused attention is when an individual is completely absorbed in a task or attending to an object. This concept has been connected to learning and other cognitive skills. The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) is a tool used to quantify change in gross motor skills over time. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between total focused attention time and GMFM scores in early sitting infants. 26 infants, all between 6-8 months old, were given 3 different types of toys each for 90 seconds and were videotaped while they explored. Videos were later coded using Datavyu, a coding software allowing accurate measurement of timed periods of focused attention to the toys. The total time of focused attention was calculated and correlated to the scores from the GMFM. The relationship between GMFM scores and total focused attention was negative and moderately associated (r=-0.30, p=0.07), such that infants with higher motor scores had less focused attention. This result supports previous research showing that children with delays have lower attention when transitioning from being sitters to crawlers. As infants gain new motor skills, they engage in greater exploration of their environment, potentially leading to shorter periods of focused attention to objects. The relationship between motor skills (sitting) and cognitive skills (focused attention) is important in early intervention. This study adds to the evidence that motor skills and cognitive skills are interrelated in complex ways. The trend in this small sample will be further explored with additional children.
School
Rangos School of Health Sciences; School of Nursing
Advisor
Regina Harbourne PT, Ph.D.
Submission Type
Paper
Publication Date
April 2023
Included in
How is Focused Attention Related to Infants Learning to Sit?
Focused attention is when an individual is completely absorbed in a task or attending to an object. This concept has been connected to learning and other cognitive skills. The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) is a tool used to quantify change in gross motor skills over time. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between total focused attention time and GMFM scores in early sitting infants. 26 infants, all between 6-8 months old, were given 3 different types of toys each for 90 seconds and were videotaped while they explored. Videos were later coded using Datavyu, a coding software allowing accurate measurement of timed periods of focused attention to the toys. The total time of focused attention was calculated and correlated to the scores from the GMFM. The relationship between GMFM scores and total focused attention was negative and moderately associated (r=-0.30, p=0.07), such that infants with higher motor scores had less focused attention. This result supports previous research showing that children with delays have lower attention when transitioning from being sitters to crawlers. As infants gain new motor skills, they engage in greater exploration of their environment, potentially leading to shorter periods of focused attention to objects. The relationship between motor skills (sitting) and cognitive skills (focused attention) is important in early intervention. This study adds to the evidence that motor skills and cognitive skills are interrelated in complex ways. The trend in this small sample will be further explored with additional children.