Movement patterns and cognitive-adaptive functions. An exploratory evaluation in the early years ofprimary school

This exploratory study investigates the relationship between movement patterns and cognitive-adaptive functions in the early years of primary school. A sample of 263 children (aged 6–7) was assessed using the APCM-2 test (Sabbadini, 2018), which evaluates praxic abilities and motor coordination. Descriptive analyses and a univariate ANOVA revealed a progressive maturation of motor patterns with age and significant gender differences: females performed better in oculomotion (p=0.010) and hand and finger movements (p=0.014), whereas males showed higher scores in dynamic coordination (p=0.001). Overall, females tended to excel in fine and sequential motor skills, while males outperformed in global motor abilities. These results suggest that both biological and environmental factors contribute to such differences, highlighting the need for educational interventions that foster balanced motor and cognitive development. In line with the embodied cognition framework, the findings support the view that movement constitutes a complex cognitive process, emerging from the continuous interaction between perception, motor control, and environmental adaptation.