Validity of a diagnostic instrument to measure fine motor coordination

Abstract

The assessment and analysis of fine motor coordination is a difficult task due to the intrinsic complexity of psychomotor performance and its integration with cognitive functioning. The increasing use of electronics (e.g. computers, tablets, smartphones) in daily life has made fine motor skills increasingly important The aim of this study was to test fine motor performance with two congruent diagnostic instruments, the Motor Performance Series workboard and an enhanced version known as the Motor Coordination Analyzer for the Upper Extremity. Twenty-eight female 1st year university students completed a series of hand dexterity tasks (i.e. steadiness, line tracing, aiming, inserting pins, and tapping) using analogous test protocols on both devices. Moderate to strong correlations were obtained between the two instruments, suggesting that the device can also be used in the assessment of fine motor coordination.