When Fine is Large and Gross is Small: A Meta-Analysis of Links Between Fine and Gross Motor Skills with Academic-Cognitive Skills

Abstract Researchers and practitioners often emphasize the importance of fine motor skills (FiMS) and gross motor skills (GMS) for academic and cognitive development. However, no systematic review of empirical evidence has compared the associations between FiMS and GMS for key academic-cognitive domains (i.e., reading, writing, mathematics, language, general academic, and cognitive skills). A literature search in five databases identified 59 eligible correlational studies measuring both FiMS and GMS ( k = 856, N = 40,806) from an initial selection of 34,811 articles. Mixed effects meta-regressions, controlling for methodological and sample factors, revealed moderate to strong correlations between FiMS and writing, reading, mathematics, and general academic skills, as well as moderate links with cognition and language. GMS displayed small to moderate associations with reading, writing, mathematics, language, and cognitive skills, but no statistically significant links to general academic skills. Overall, FiMS showed more substantial correlations with academic-cognitive skills ( r = .302) than GMS did ( r = .170, p < .001), although the associations were more similar for language and executive functions compared to those for intelligence. Practical implications are discussed with respect to the role motor skills play in child and adolescent education.