Investigation of the relationship between sensory processing, motor and cognitive skills and school readiness in preschool children

This study was planned to investigate the relationship between sensory processing, motor and cognitive skills with school readiness of preschool children. 140 children attending kindergarten between 60-72 months were participated in the study. Sensory Profile (SP) was used to assess participants' sensory processing skills, Bruininks-Oseretsky Test 2- Short Form (BOT2-SF) was used to assess motor skills, Childhood Executive Functions Inventory (CHEXI) and Test of Visual Perception Skills-3 (TVPS-3) were used to assess cognitive skills, and the Scale of Readiness Primary School (SRPS) was used to assess the school readiness of children. Preschool children's hearing, vision, vestibular, touch, and multi-sensory (p<0.001) and oral processings (p<0.05); motor and visual perception skills (p<0.001), and executive functions (p<0.01) affect children's school readiness level and they were found to be statistically significant. It was determined that the skill that most affected the school readiness level of preschool children was motor skills (p<0.001). Sensory processing, motor, and cognitive skills have an important role in preschool children's school readiness. It is thought that these skills should consider while evaluating the school readiness of the child, and strategies to develop these skills should be included in intervention programs in future studies.