Examination of the relationship between fine motor skills and sensory processing in preschool children

The preschool period is a critical developmental stage during which children are highly receptive to social, cognitive, and academic growth and change. During this period, the development of fine motor skills is significantly influenced by sensory stimuli received from the environment. This study was designed to examine the relationship between fine motor skills and sensory processing in preschool children. The study included 77 typically developing children aged between 4 and 6 years. It was conducted at the Kırşehir Occupational Therapy and Counseling Center. Participants' demographic information was assessed using the Sociodemographic Information Form. To evaluate fine motor skills, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition – Short Form (BOT2-SF) was used, and for sensory processing, the Sensory Profile Questionnaire (SPQ) was applied. For comparisons of fine motor skills based on demographic variables, the Mann-Whitney U test was used when there were two groups, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used when there were more than two groups. Spearman's correlation test was used to examine the relationship between fine motor skills and sensory processing. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, and a statistical significance level of p < 0.05 was accepted for all analyses. In terms of gender, male children were found to have significantly higher fine motor skill scores than female children (p < 0.05). In comparisons based on dominant hand use, the fine motor integration of the left hand was found to be significantly better than that of the right hand (p < 0.05). A strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship was identified between screen time and both fine motor accuracy and total fine motor skills (p < 0.05). Statistically significant, strong, and positive correlations were found between age and fine motor skills (p < 0.05). When examining the correlations between fine motor skills and sensory processing abilities, a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship was observed between tactile processing and multisensory processing and fine motor integration. Additionally, strong, positive, and significant relationships were found between oral processing, movement and body position, behavioral outcomes of sensory processing, and fine motor skills. Items defining response thresholds showed a weak, positive, and statistically significant relationship only with fine motor integration (p < 0.05). Regarding the correlation between sensory factors and fine motor skills, a weak, positive relationship was found between sensory seeking input and both fine motor integration and total fine motor skills. A moderate, positive relationship was identified between emotional responses and fine motor integration, while a moderate, positive relationship was found between oral sensory sensitivity and fine motor accuracy. A strong, positive relationship was observed between perceptual fine motor skills and all fine motor skill components (p < 0.05). When examining correlations between sensory quadrants and fine motor skills, a positive relationship was identified between the sensory seeking profile and all fine motor skills, and a moderate, positive relationship was found between the sensory sensitivity profile and fine motor integration (p < 0.05). This study presented significant findings by comprehensively investigating the relationship between sensory processing and fine motor skills in preschool children. The presence of strong, positive relationships in various sensory domains such as touch, oral, and multisensory processing suggests that children who effectively process sensory stimuli may exhibit more advanced fine motor integration. Furthermore, it was determined that demographic and environmental factors such as age, gender, dominant hand use, and screen time also have significant effects on fine motor skills. These findings indicate that occupational therapy intervention plans should be structured according to the child's sensory profile and that an environment enriched with sensory experiences at an early age can positively influence fine motor skill development. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that evaluating sensory processing abilities is a crucial criterion in creating intervention plans aimed at developing fine motor skills in occupational therapy practices. Especially during the preschool period, early assessments in both sensory processing and fine motor skills are considered important for supporting children's developmental progress. Keywords: Sensory Processing, Fine Motor Skills, Preschool Child, Occupational Therapy