The role of executive function in linking fundamental motor skills and reading proficiency in socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners

Abstract

The study examined the association between fundamental motor skills (FMS), executive function (EF), and reading proficiency among 145 socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners of diverse ethnicity. Regression analyses supported that EF and FMS were significantly associated with children's reading proficiency. Working memory and inhibition explained a substantial amount of variances in reading proficiency after controlling for the covariates. Structural equation modeling analysis suggested that the relation between FMS and reading proficiency was fully mediated by global EF (χ2/df=4.29/3; CFI=0.983; RMSEA=0.055). Results of the bootstrap method also supported the statistical significant effect of FMS on reading proficiency through global EF, 95% CI [0.029, 0.325]. This study provides initial evidence suggesting that education environment (i.e., school, home and community), specifically school physical activity program, may be important for improving FMS and EF in children for the sake of promoting reading proficiency.