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Background: Children born preterm (PT; <38 gestational weeks, GW) are frequently reported to have deviations in motor proficiency. Most studies use standardized test batteries to determine motor function in these children. Few studies have however examined the relations between test battery outcomes and outcomes from more detailed movement analysis.

Aim: To investigate associations between outcomes on the manual dexterity subtests from the Movement-ABC 2 with detailed 3D kinematic registrations during performance of a sensorimotor task with demands on fine motor skills and precision in school-aged children born PT and a comparison group born at full-term (FT).

Methods: As part of an ongoing quasi-longitudinal study, 7-8 year old children born PT (< 36 GW; n = 17) and an aged matched typically developing comparison group (n = 19) performed the M-ABC 2 and a fine motor task where 3D kinematic registration technique was applied. M-ABC 2 scaled scores from the manual dexterity index (MDI) were correlated with kinematic parameters sensitive to planning and on-line control (movement units, distance and speed). Differences between the PT and FT group were also analyzed.

Results: Preliminary analyses show no group differences on the outcomes from the 3D kinematic analyses but differences were evident on two (peg-board and follow-track) of the subtests constituting the MDI and the MDI where children born PT have lower scores than FT. For both groups but in different ways, within-group correlations show some associations between extracted kinematic properties and dexterity outcomes.

Conclusions: As the groups differed on the MDI outcomes it is surprising that none were found on the kinematic properties examined. Further, relatively few associations were found between the kinematic and M-ABC 2 outcomes. Investigation of the influence cognitive and executive functions have on these performances may offer explanations for this inconsistency