NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1460743
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Feb
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3257
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3432
Available Date: 2024-01-27
Motor Control Adherence to the Two-Thirds Power Law Differs in Autistic Development
Emily Fourie1,2; Szu-Ching Lu3,4; Jonathan Delafield-Butt3,4; Susan M. Rivera1,2,5
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, v55 n3 p873-890 2025
Autistic individuals often exhibit motor atypicalities, which may relate to difficulties in social communication. This study utilized a smart tablet activity to computationally characterize motor control by testing adherence to the two-thirds power law (2/3 PL), which captures a systematic covariation between velocity and curvature in motor execution and governs many forms of human movement. Children aged 4-8 years old participated in this study, including 24 autistic children and 33 typically developing children. Participants drew and traced ellipses on an iPad. We extracted data from finger movements on the screen, and computed adherence to the 2/3 PL and other kinematic metrics. Measures of cognitive and motor functioning were also collected. In comparison to the typically developing group, the autistic group demonstrated greater velocity modulation between curved and straight sections of movement, increased levels of acceleration and jerk, and greater intra- and inter-individual variability across several kinematic variables. Further, significant motor control development was observed in typically developing children, but not in those with autism. This study is the first to examine motor control adherence to the 2/3 PL in autistic children, revealing overall diminished motor control. Less smooth, more varied movement and an indication of developmental stasis in autistic children were observed. This study offers a novel tool for computational characterization of the autism motor signature in children's development, demonstrating how smart tablet technology enables accessible assessment of children's motor performance in an objective, quantifiable and scalable manner.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link-springer-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of California, Davis, Department of Psychology, Davis, USA; 2University of California, Davis, Center for Mind and Brain, Davis, USA; 3University of Strathclyde, Laboratory for Innovation in Autism, Glasgow, Scotland, UK; 4University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Education, Glasgow, Scotland, UK; 5University of Maryland, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park, USA