Optimizing Fine Motor Coordination, Selective Attention and Reaction Time in Children: Effect of Combined Accuracy Exercises and Visual Art Activities

Reviewer one

question

answer

1

How were these criteria determined? Selection criteria should be stated

Inclusion criteria were added in the method section  (L 93-95)

The inclusion criteria were: (i) being affiliated with the academy; (ii) not suffering from any intellectual or physical disabilities; (iii) having a rate of attendance in the program > 75%.(iiii) completing all testing sessions.

2

Why were these visual art activities (ceramics, pottery, and raw materials formations) chosen?

Visual art activities were shown to affect creativity and motor-cognitive skills in both typically developed and handicapped children. All the chosen visual art activities were motivating for children and required reflection, accuracy, and eye-hand coordination.

3

Is this time enough? Must explain "two hours of physical education sessions per week."

Membership affiliation in the sports academies permits the participants to three one-hour weekly sessions. We agree with the reviewer that this duration may be insufficient to improve the children's motor skills. Hence, we extended the structured intervention program for two months. The structure-based program included 24 training sessions at a rate of three sessions per week and 60 min per session. As participants were PE students, they had two PE classroom sessions during the school time-tale.

Nonetheless, a discussion paragraph (L370-377) and study limitations were added (L 391-397).

4

Discussion; in the first paragraph, I suggest you specify the age range, because it is selective. 320. line: Woss et al. did not provide any age-related findings. It should be checked.

The age range is specified in discussion paragraph 1.

The reference Voss et al deleted and replaced by other references.  (L325-328; L330-333; 365-369)

5

Shi et al. (References; 16, Line 321) meta-analysis. The author should focus on Experimental study results.

Additional references were added (experimental studies in particular).

6

337. line: Spearman, no need to test; write correlation.

Corrected.

7

What do the authors attribute their results to? This issue should be clarified.

Discussion of the study results was improved, and additional references were added.

8

In the study, I observed that the quality of English was moderate. Its English can be revised by the authors.

English was revised and all manuscript was language edited.

Reviewer two

question

answer

1

I miss a more accurate description on the participants, especially on the gender distribution of each group. Gender can influence the motor skills at this age; therefore, it is important to see the percentage of boys and girls in the whole and sub-groups.  Furthermore, it would be useful to report on age in the 3 subgroups as well.

Participants were all schoolchildren (males), having 2 PE sessions per week in school (according to the school timetable). They were affiliated with sports academies and received three one-hour extra-curricular sessions per week.

2

How the sample size was calculated, for the whole sample or for the sub-groups. Please clarify it.

The a priori sample size was determined using G*Power software (3.1.9.2), given an effect size = 0.25 (Medium), α = 0.05, power 1-β = 0.95, and was set at 57 participants. (L87-88).

3

The tests used pre and post in the study do not give information on the general cognitive ability but rather on motor skills, dexterity and speed. Maybe Belt test reports on a simple visual attention but not on cognitive ability per se. Therefore authors should be more precise how to use cognitive skills in the introduction, discussion, the abstract, because in this version it seems that cognitive ability is interchangeable of creativity, motor skills, and coping skills. I would think about to change the title as well. Otherwise, the content will not meet readers’ expectation.

We found this remark very relevant as selective attention and reaction time do not cover all cognitive abilities. However we referred to previous studies (Jakobsen  et al 2011; Stevens & Bavelier 2012) revealing the importance of reaction time and selective attention in the cognitive functioning in healthy subjects.

Nonetheless, a study limitation and perspectives were added at the end of the discussion section.(L 389-395).

To be more precise, changes in the title were made as well as in the aim of the study, and discussion, and conclusion.