Associations between motor development and caregiver-child interaction in early childhood: a systematic review

The association between motor development and caregiver-child interaction is central to early development; motor abilities support children’s exploration of the environment, and caregiver actions change with the acquisition of new motor milestones. Although empirical studies suggest that interaction may contribute to early motor development, findings have been reported across diverse samples and methodological approaches, making it difficult to identify consistent patterns. This systematic review aimed to clarify the association between caregiver-child interaction and motor development in children aged 0–12 years. Observational and longitudinal peer-reviewed studies assessing both constructs were included, with no publication date restrictions. Grey literature and studies lacking statistical analyses were excluded. Searches were conducted in major databases up to May 31, 2025. Risk of bias was independently assessed using the JBI tool, and results were synthesized narratively. A total of 1,917 articles were screened, of which 25 met inclusion criteria. Most samples focused on children under 36 months, limiting generalizability to older age groups. Eighteen studies (72%) reported at least one statistically significant association between motor development and caregiver-child interaction. Most findings indicated small to moderate positive associations between higher interaction quality and better motor outcomes, although null or mixed results were observed. Methodological quality was predominantly high (60%), with the remaining studies rated as moderate (40%). Studies included different biological and environmental contexts, such as prematurity, low-income families, adolescent mothers, and adopted children. This review highlights gaps, including the underrepresentation of older children, low-income settings, diverse racial and ethnic groups, and neurodivergent populations. Addressing these gaps is essential to advance understanding of how interaction quality shapes motor development across early childhood. PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251064181.