The Relationships between Self-Reported Motor Functioning and Autistic Traits: The Italian Version of the Adult Developmental Coordination Disorders/Dyspraxia Checklist (ADC).

Researchers created an Italian version of a questionnaire that measures motor coordination problems in adults. They tested it with 498 people and found it works well. The study showed that adults with autism-related communication difficulties and those who are less interested in systems or patterns tend to have more motor coordination problems. This tool could help identify motor difficulties in Italian-speaking adults.

This study validated an Italian version of the Adult Developmental Coordination Disorders/Dyspraxia Checklist (ADC) in 498 adults aged 18-34. The research confirmed the three-factor structure of the original ADC and demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. The study found that among various autistic traits, poor communication skills and lower systemizing tendencies were most strongly associated with motor coordination difficulties. No significant sex differences were observed in motor coordination scores.

The Italian ADC appears to be a reliable tool for assessing self-reported motor difficulties in adults and reveals how different autistic traits relate to motor functioning.

The Italian ADC provides clinicians with a validated tool for screening motor coordination difficulties in adults. The findings suggest that individuals with communication challenges may benefit from motor skills assessment and intervention, highlighting the interconnected nature of these developmental domains.

The study relies on self-reported motor difficulties rather than objective motor assessments. The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences about relationships between autistic traits and motor coordination. The sample was limited to young adults aged 18-34, potentially limiting generalizability to older adults.

We developed the Italian version of the adult developmental co-ordination disorders/dyspraxia checklist (ADC), providing reliability and concurrent validity data for the scale (Aim 1). In addition, we investigated the relationships between motor coordination difficulties and different autistic traits (Aim 2). 498 participants (341 females; age range = 18-34) underwent the Italian version of the ADC, as well as a handwriting speed test, the autism spectrum quotient, the empathy quotient, and the systemizing quotient. The distinction between three main factors (A, B, and C) identified in the original version of the ADC was confirmed here. Internal consistency of the ADC subscales was adequate, as well as the correlation with the handwriting speed test used to assess concurrent validity.

No substantial sex differences on the ADC scores were found. Furthermore, data revealed that poor autistic-related communication skills and lower levels of systemizing tendencies were, among all the investigated autistic traits, those more strongly associated with higher motor coordination difficulties. The Italian ADC seems a valuable tool for assessing motor coordination difficulties in adults and can reveal the nuanced impact exerted by different autistic traits on self-reported motor functioning.