Research paper
The efficacy of two activity-based interventions in adolescents with Developmental Coordination Disorder

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.013Get rights and content

Highlights

  • •

    Activity-based interventions reduce impairments, and improve functional performance, self-efficacy and participation in girls with DCD.

  • •

    Functional training and active video games may reduce the symptoms of DCD among girls at the three domains of the ICF.

  • •

    Functional training and active video games work equally well in girls with DCD.

Abstract

Background

Adolescents with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) usually experience psychomotor difficulties that affect their participation in everyday tasks and sports. Without effective intervention, adolescents show persistent motor deficits through adulthood. It is therefore critical to develop interventions to address the specific needs of this population. Studies evaluating the impact of motor interventions among adolescents with DCD are limited.

Aim

The study evaluated the efficacy of two activity-based motor interventions in female adolescents with DCD.

Methods and procedures

Forty-three female participants (Mean ± SD: 14.3 ± 1.1 years) were identified as having DCD using the DSM-5 criteria. They were randomly assigned to either Task-oriented Functional Training (TFT) or Wii training. Both groups received 45 min training per week for 14 weeks. Outcome measures included isometric muscular strength, motor proficiency, functional performance and participation in activities of daily living (ADL).

Outcomes and results

At the conclusion of the intervention, the two groups had significant improvement in muscular strength, motor proficiency, running and agility, predilection for physical activity and generalized self-efficacy. However, there was no difference in outcomes for the two interventions.

Conclusions and implications

The findings highlight the potential benefits of activity-based motor interventions in reducing impairments, improving functional performance, and enhancing participation. These results support previous findings on the efficacy of task-oriented interventions and demonstrate the value of these approaches at all levels of functioning.

Section snippets

What this paper adds

This study provides evidence of the efficacy of activity-based interventions in female adolescents with DCD.

Female adolescents with DCD respond positively to exercise interventions at the ICF levels of functioning.

Activity-based interventions administered once a week at moderate intensity may not be enough to improve aerobic endurance in this population.

Design

An assessor blinded, stratified, randomized trial was conducted between May and October 2016. Female adolescents identified as having DCD were assigned to receive either TFT or Wii training. Participants were stratified by grade, and randomly allocated to the two intervention groups through balloting by an independent person. Following balloting, the participants’ codes were concealed in opaque envelopes and distributed to them at their school. Participants who received even number codes were

Group differences at baseline

At baseline, the two groups were grade-matched and all were below the 16th percentile of the MABC-2. No differences were found with regards to age, body mass index (BMI) and the MABC-2 total score [Table 1]. 38 participants (TFT = 20, Wii = 18) were right-handed whereas 5 (TFT = 2, Wii = 3) were left-handed.

Changes in muscular strength, aerobic endurance, motor proficiency, functional performance, self-efficacy and participation

Table 2 presents the statistics of the main effects of the interventions on all the dependent outcome variables. It can be seen that overall, strength, motor proficiency, functional performance and

Discussion

The study investigated the efficacy of two activity-based motor interventions in female adolescents with DCD. The participants were randomly assigned to either Task-oriented Functional Training or Wii training and received 45-min of supervised training held once weekly for 14 weeks. We elected to implement a 14 week intervention (one session per week) at moderate intensity based on available resources (school schedule, personnel and logistics), data extracted from existing literature (Ashkenazi

Conclusion

In summary, we have demonstrated that activity-based interventions may yield positive benefits across the ICF levels of functioning in female adolescents with DCD. These two interventions seem to provide similar short-term benefits and can be implemented to enhance functional performance, participation and generalized self-efficacy. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions in clinical populations with DCD and the sustainability of improvements over time.

Conflict of interests

The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants, research assistants, parents and teachers for their support and participation. We are also grateful to Professor John Hay for granting us permission to use the CSAPPA in this study. Lastly, our appreciation goes to USHEPiA for providing partial funding support for this research.

References (74)

  • Ferguson et al.

    The efficacy of two task-orientated interventions for children with developmental coordination disorder: Neuromotor task training and nintendo wii fit training

    Research in Developmental Disabilities

    (2013)
  • Ferguson et al.

    Physical fitness in children with developmental coordination disorder: Measurement matters

    Research in Developmental Disabilities

    (2014)
  • L.-S. Giboin et al.

    Task-specificity of balance training

    Human Movement Science

    (2015)
  • Hay et al.

    Evaluation of a screening instrument for developmental coordination disorder

    Journal of Adolescent Health

    (2004)
  • T. Jarus et al.

    Participation patterns of school-aged children with and without DCD

    Research in Developmental Disabilities

    (2011)
  • Jelsma et al.

    The impact of Wii Fit intervention on dynamic balance control in children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder and balance problems

    Human Movement Science

    (2014)
  • L.C. Magalhães et al.

    Activities and participation in children with developmental coordination disorder: a systematic review

    Research in Developmental Disabilities

    (2011)
  • A. Mandich et al.

    Rites of passage: Understanding participation of children with developmental coordination disorder

    Human Movement Science

    (2003)
  • F. McIntyre et al.

    Exercise can improve physical self perceptions in adolescents with low motor competence

    Human Movement Science

    (2015)
  • L.T. Miller et al.

    A pilot trial of a cognitive treatment for children with developmental coordination disorder

    Human Movement Science

    (2001)
  • J.P. Piek et al.

    Does the Animal Fun program improve motor performance in children aged 4–6 years?

    Human Movement Science

    (2013)
  • R.A. Skinner et al.

    Psychosocial implications of poor motor coordination in children and adolescents

    Human Movement Science

    (2001)
  • G.D. Tsiotra et al.

    A comparison of developmental coordination disorder prevalence rates in canadian and greek children

    Journal of Adolescent Health

    (2006)
  • Aertssen et al.

    Reliability and Structural and Construct Validity of the Functional Strength Measurement in Children Aged 4 to 10 Years

    Physical Therapy

    (2016)
  • T. Ashkenazi et al.

    Low-cost virtual reality intervention program for children with developmental coordination disorder: A pilot feasibility study

    Pediatric Physical Therapy

    (2013)
  • A.L. Barnett et al.

    Constraints and facilitators to participation in physical activity in teenagers with Developmental Co-ordination Disorder: An exploratory interview study

    Child: Care, Health and Development

    (2013)
  • Bonney et al.

    Learning better by repetition or variation? Is transfer at odds with task specific training?

    PLoS One

    (2017)
  • R.H. Bruininks et al.

    Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency

    (2005)
  • Cairney et al.

    Is developmental coordination disorder a fundamental cause of inactivity and poor health-related fitness in children?

    Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

    (2013)
  • Cairney et al.

    Evaluating the CSAPPA subscales as potential screening instruments for developmental coordination disorder

    Archives of Disease in Childhood

    (2007)
  • Cairney et al.

    Trajectories of cardiorespiratory fitness in children with and without developmental coordination disorder: A longitudinal analysis

    British Journal of Sports Medicine

    (2011)
  • Cairney et al.

    Developmental coordination disorder, self-efficacy toward physical activity, and play: Does gender matter

    Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly

    (2005)
  • Cairney et al.

    Developmental coordination disorder, sex, and activity deficit over time: A longitudinal analysis of participation trajectories in children with and without coordination difficulties

    Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

    (2010)
  • B. Engel-Yeger et al.

    The relationship between Developmental Co-ordination Disorders, child's perceived self-efficacy and preference to participate in daily activities

    Child: Care, Health and Development

    (2010)
  • Falk

    An active child is a healthy child

    Pediatric Exercise Science

    (2017)
  • F. Farhat et al.

    The effects of 8 weeks of motor skill training on cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance performance in children with developmental coordination disorder

    Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism

    (2015)
  • Ferguson et al.

    Using the ICF framework to explore the multiple interacting factors associated with developmental coordination disorder

    Current Developmental Disorders Reports

    (2014)

    • Cited by (0)

    View full text
    © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.