By application of univariate analysis it is possible to conclude that there are statistically significant differences in four out of five analyzed variables. Significant differences were found in variables Body height (F=59.85; p=0.00), Body weight (F=31.70; p=0.00), Obstacle course backwards (F=11.15; p=0.00), and Standing broad jump (F=18.08); p=0.00). At the same time, there were no significant differences between groups made by taxonomisation in the intelligence variable (F = 0.90; p = 0.35).
According to the taxonomic procedure, two distinct groups of children can be defined, with the following characteristics: 1) The first group includes shorter children of a lower body weight, with lower results in motor skills tests; 2) The second group includes taller and heavier children, who achieved higher results in motor skills tests.Unlike anthropometric and motor skills variables, intelligence was not crucial for the distinction of taxons
Although correlation between height and performance of different motor tasks in children and adolescents generally ranges from low to moderate, taller and heavier individuals tend to be stronger. On the other hand, higher body height and weight may be related to faster biological maturation. Within same age group, children who are more biologically mature are generally taller and heavier, and they have more lean body mass (especially boys), than average and late maturers. Although relevant studies are still lacking, it is believed that children who mature earlier tend to perform better in motor tests than the slow maturers of the same chronological age [2].
Interesting interaction of environmental factors and motor/cognitive skills is supported by the results of a recent study [10]. Although a strong relationship between children’s motor and cognitive functioning was not confirmed, the results suggest that children from high-income families have better cognitive abilities and weaker motor abilities, whereas children from poorer families have better motor abilities but weaker cognitive ones [10]. It is possible that children from poorer families have more autonomy and less parental supervision, which might have produced positive effects on motor development. An interesting study on a large sample of intellectually advanced children showed that they were significantly more advanced in motor development than general population [11]. However, this sample had a set of specific characteristics such as high socio-economical status, developmental and genetic factors etc., which might have affected their intellectual and motor development.
There is an increasing evidence for the adverse relationship between cognitive abilities and low weight, short length, and head circumference of a newborn child with reference to gestational age, whereas preterm delivery is related to motor abilities of children. In addition, it is also suggested that postnatal growth is a more important
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determinant of the intelligence coefficient than intrauterine development [11]. Another study indicates that children of high and low gross motor development do not differ significantly in terms of perceptive skills and intellectual abilities, but they do differ in visual-motor integration [12].
As for the limitations of the study, they relate mostly to the characteristics of the study sample and reduced number of motor skills and intelligence variables. Improved research design in further studies might enable a more thorough insight into the integral development of preschool children.