Journal article
Mapping young children's executive function and motor skill profiles to emotional and behavioral problems: a latent profile analysis
Frontiers in Psychology, Vol.17, pp.1-14
2026
Abstract
Although a close interdependence between motor coordination and executive functioning (EF) has been widely recognized in early childhood, we currently lack a systematic understanding of how intrinsic heterogeneity of motor and EF skill development conjointly affects children’s emotional and behavioral problems. Therefore, we used latent profile analysis (LPA) in typically developing preschoolers to (1) identify distinct constellations of motor and EF skills that characterize subgroups of children, (2) determine how motor and EF profile membership is associated with behavioral problems, and (3) identify the extent to which motor and EF profile membership is associated with behavioral difficulties and demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender maternal education). Parents/guardians of 422 children aged 2 years 5 months to 5 years 9 months completed informant-based measures related to their child’s motor skills, EF, and internalizing/externalizing behavioral problems. The LPA revealed five distinct profiles: the “Competent” profile with average motor skills and EF (Profile 1: 38.9%); the “Poor EF” profile with average motor skills and below average EF (Profile 2: 21.1%); the “At-Risk” profile with weak motor skills and the poorest EF (Profile 3: 15.4%); the “High Motor” profile with strong motor skills and above average EF (Profile 4: 12.6%); and the “Highly Skilled” profile with above average motor skills and the highest EF (Profile 5: 12.1%). Compared to the Competent profile, children in the At-Risk profile had the highest odds of elevated internalizing problems but no elevation in externalizing problems, while children in the Poor EF profile had the highest odds of elevated externalizing problems but no relative elevation in internalizing problems. These findings could identify at-risk subgroups for early movement-based interventions that strengthen children’s motor and EF skills to reduce the frequency of behavioral problems and improve school readiness.
Details
- Title
- Mapping young children's executive function and motor skill profiles to emotional and behavioral problems: a latent profile analysis
- Authors
- Darren Robert Hocking (Corresponding Author) - Victoria UniversityOwen Yang - Victoria UniversityCharlotte Mcloghlin - Victoria UniversityAmiera Al Sidek - Victoria UniversityKate E Williams - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Frontiers in Psychology, Vol.17, pp.1-14
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1798115
- ISSN
- 1664-1078
- Copyright note
- © 2026 Hocking, Yang, Mcloghlin, Al Sidek and Williams. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
- Data Availability
- The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Education and Tertiary Access
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991239198902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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