The Influence of Motor Skills on Language Skills and Math Readiness Among Children Aged 3 to 6: Examining the Mediating Role of Parental Engagement and Social-Emotional Development
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Early motor skills, language, and math readiness are interconnected components of school readiness, yet the pathways linking these domains remain unclear. This cross-sectional study examined associations between gross motor skills and fine motor skills and children’s expressive language skills, receptive language skills, and math readiness, and tested whether parental engagement and social-emotional development mediated these links. Data were drawn from a large sample of 3,933 children aged 3-6 years from the Child Study of Arizona. A parallel mediation structural equation model, adjusting for demographic covariates, indicated that gross motor skills were positively associated with expressive language skills, receptive language skills, and math readiness, as well as with parental engagement and social-emotional development. In contrast, fine motor skills were not significantly related to mediators or receptive language skills and showed only a trend level association with math readiness. Social-emotional development was positively associated with expressive language skills, receptive language skills, and math readiness, and significant indirect effects via social-emotional development were observed for gross motor skills across all outcomes. Parental engagement was negatively associated with expressive language skills and did not function as a significant mediator. The model explained 20.6% of the variance in expressive language skills, 23.0% in receptive language skills, and 32.4% in math readiness. Overall, findings highlight gross motor skills and social-emotional development as key correlates of early academic readiness and suggest potential benefits of integrated motor and social-emotional supports in preschool settings.
Author: Bhukya, Yamini Sumalatha
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7162181739