Evaluation of manual dexterity in early education

Part of the recent research on fine motor skills questions the existence of a general factor of manual dexterity. If this manual dexterity factor is not proved this would affect the suitability of using motor development scales. The present study aimed at developing a set of tasks to evaluate manual dexterity in early education involving each hand to identify hand preference development. Specifically, the aim was to explore inter- and intra-task correlations by way of a series of object-manipulation tasks using objects of a size and weight adapted to children 3-6 years old, and to be administered easily by staff working in early education settings. In a first study using three tasks -Posting coins, Moving pegs, and Threading eyebolts- involving separately left and right hand (6 trials), 151 children aged 3-6 years have participated. The results show high inter- and intra-task correlations, and one factor explaining 64.03% of the total variance. Individual differences in motor skills and in hand preference are confirmed a year later, and correlate with children's writing skills when starting compulsory education. Implications for school and home are mentioned, emphasizing the interest of these type of studies for detecting typical/atypical developmental pathways.