Objective: To explore whether the motor developmental level is associated with the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms severity reported by parents in preschool children.

Methods: Preschool children aged 4-6 years old with the chief complaint of reported inattention or hyperactivity by kindergarten teachers or parents were recruited in this study. All participants were consulted by at least one experienced developmental behavior pediatrician, according to DSM-V diagnostic criteria of ADHD. Their neuromotor developments were assessed by the Children's Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale and recorded as developmental quotient (DQ) score in gross motor, fine motor, and other domains. Regarding the evaluation of ADHD symptoms, parents of the 4-year-old group completed the Conners' Parent Symptom Questionnaire, while parents of the 5-year-old group completed The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale.

Results: A total of 137 preschool children aged 4-4.9 years (4-year-old group) and 252 were aged 5.0-5.9 years (5-year-old group) were included in the study. Children exhibiting ADHD symptoms were at a much higher risk of fine motor delays compared to gross motor delays, particularly among the younger age group. Correlation analysis and hierarchical regression showed that in the 4-year-old ADHD group, better gross motor development was associated with increased severity of parent-reported ADHD symptoms. In the 5-year-old ADHD group, poorer fine motor development was linked to higher ADHD symptom severity. For children who do not meet ADHD diagnostic criteria, no significant correlations were found between gross or fine motor developmental quotients (DQ) and the severity of ADHD symptoms.

Conclusions: Preschool children exhibiting ADHD symptoms are at a notable high risk of fine motor delays. Motor development in preschool children who meet ADHD diagnostic criteria is related to the severity of their symptoms. It is important to monitor both fine and gross motor development in preschool children with ADHD.

Keywords: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); developmental quotient; fine motor; gross motor; preschool children.

© 2024 Cui, Li, Liang, Huang and Ni.

目标: 探讨运动发育水平是否与学龄前儿童家长报告的注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）症状严重程度有关。

方法: 本研究招募了4至6岁、由幼儿园教师或家长主要反映存在注意力不集中或多动行为问题的学龄前儿童。所有参与者均根据《精神疾病诊断与统计手册》第五版（DSM-V）ADHD诊断标准，接受至少一位经验丰富的发育行为儿科医生的咨询。他们的神经运动发展通过儿童神经心理和行为量表进行评估，并在粗大动作、精细动作和其他领域记录为发育商(DQ)分数。关于ADHD症状的评估，4岁组孩子的家长完成康纳斯父母症状问卷，而5岁组孩子的家长则完成范德堡ADHD诊断父母评价量表。

结果: 本研究共纳入了137名年龄在4至4.9岁的儿童（4岁组）和252名年龄在5.0至5.9岁的儿童（5岁组）。表现出ADHD症状的儿童，其精细动作发展迟缓的风险显著高于粗大动作发展迟缓，特别是在较年轻的年龄组中。相关分析和分层回归显示，在4岁ADHD组中，更好的粗大动作发展与家长报告的ADHD症状严重程度增加有关；在5岁ADHD组中，较差的精细动作发展则与较高的ADHD症状严重度相关。对于未达到ADHD诊断标准的孩子们，其粗大和精细动作发育商（DQ）与ADHD症状严重程度之间没有显著的相关性。

结论: 表现出ADHD症状的学龄前儿童存在明显的精细动作发展迟缓风险。符合ADHD诊断标准的学龄前儿童的运动发展与其症状严重度相关联。监测具有ADHD的孩子们的粗大和精细动作发展非常重要。

关键词: 注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）；发育商；精细动作；粗大动作；学龄前儿童。