Infant Motor Competence Predicts Executive Functions in Preschoolers: The Role of Sleep.

Chao Liu, Yuzhu Zhang, Xi Liang

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Early Childhood Movement- and Arts-Based Experiences and Executive Functions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
Review

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Chao LiuResearch Center for Child Development, Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.

Yuzhu ZhangResearch Center for Child Development, Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.

Xi LiangResearch Center for Child Development, Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 31700967

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The theory of embodied cognition suggests that cognitive development in infancy relies on sensorimotor experiences gained through interaction with the environment. Additionally, the need for more sleep in early childhood may be linked to the development of executive functions. This study examined 255 children in Beijing to investigate these ideas. Motor skills were evaluated at 6 months and 1 year old, cognitive abilities at 2 years old, and executive functions at 3 years old. The results showed that strong motor skills in infancy predicted better executive functions in preschool, and this relationship was fully mediated by cognitive abilities. Furthermore, the mediating effects of cognitive abilities on executive functions were stronger in preschoolers with more and better sleep. In conclusion, motor competence and sufficient sleep are crucial for the development of executive function.

Indexed as

cognitive abilityexecutive functionsmoderated mediationmotor skillssleep

Identifiers

PMID41750097

DOI10.3390/bs16020288

PMCPMC12937647

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.