masumeh shojaei

The current research aimed to determine the effectiveness of the selected movement program on the executive function and motor function of children with developmental coordination disorder. The research was semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research was all male students of 7-9 years old in normal schools of District 22 of Tehran in 2022 who had been diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder. Of these, 28 people were selected in an available manner and randomly replaced in the experimental and control groups. The research tools included the Second Edition of the Children's Movement Assessment Test (MABC-2) by Henderson (2007), the Neuropsychological Questionnaire (CNQ) by Connors (2004), and the Neuropsychological Test (Nepsy) by Corkman et al. (1998). Finally, multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that by controlling the effect of the pre-test, there was a significant difference between the post-test of the experimental group and the control group in the neurocognitive functions of attention, agility (placing pins and drawing a maze), aiming (throwing sandbags and receiving and throwing) and balance (way heel-toe walk, static and balance (p<0.05). No significant change was observed in the reaction time test and manual dexterity subtest (threading) (p>0.05). From the above findings, it can be concluded that the physical training program improves neuropsychological indicators and motor performance of children with developmental coordination disorder.

The present study aims to investigate the effect of the SPARK training program on some neuropsychological and motor performance variables in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2) in male children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design. Participants were 28 school-aged boys diagnosed with DCD (based on the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) from elementary schools (1-4th grades) in District 22 of Tehran, Iran. They underwent the MABC-2 tests as a pretest assessment. Then, they were divided randomly assigned to training (n=14, mean age: 8.6±1.39 years) and control (n=14, mean age: 8.11±1.15 years) groups. The training group performed the SPARK training program at 16 sessions of 45 minutes, three sessions per week. At the end of the training sessions, participants completed the posttest assessment. Data analysis was performed using analysis of covariance. 

The training significantly improved motor performance in domains of manual dexterity (Placing pegs, drawing a trail), ball skills (catching with both hands, throwing a bean bag onto mat), and balance (One-board balance, heel-to-toe walking forwards, hopping on mats) (P<0.05), but there was no significant change in manual dexterity test of threading lace (P>0.05). 

It seems that the SPARK training program can improve some neuropsychological and motor performance indices in male children with DCD.

Psychological states affect focus of attention and play a mediating role in its effect on motor performance and learning. The present study investigated the effect of practice under psychological pressure and attention focusing with instruction on learning billiard shot. Participants were 48 female volunteer students (19-23 years old) who were randomly selected and assigned to 4 experimental groups (internal focus under high and low pressure, external focus under high and low pressure). The groups practiced for 8 sessions after the pretest. Acquisition test was performed in the last session of practice, and the retention test was conducted with 2 and 10 days of delay after the last practice session. The accuracy of the shots was scored according to the distance of the ball from the pit. The results of U Mann-Whitney test showed priority of internal attention in the acquisition and 10-day delay retention tests and priority of practice under low pressure in 10-day delay retention test (P<0.05). The results of Kruskal–Wallis test and pairwise comparisons indicated priority of the acquisition of internal attention under high pressure on external attention under high pressure and the priority of delayed retention of internal attention under low pressure on external attention under high pressure (P<0.05). It seems that given the nature of skill in terms of unchanged environmental conditions and high accuracy and attention requirements especially in the early stages of learning, practice under low psychological pressure conditions and internal focusing will result in more delayed retention for novice people

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects 5–6% of school–aged children. Abrupt determination and adopt a supportive strategy is necessarily. DCD not only influences in daily activities and educational function but also associated with poorer physical health, fitness, psychological and social outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of different types of selected training programs (physical, mental and compound) to investigate the best intervention method in order to improve perceived motor competence in 9–10–year–old children with developmental coordination disorder.

This study was an experimental, pre and post–test study with control group design. According to developmental coordination disorder questionnaire (DCDQ–07) and movement assessment battery for children second edition (MABC–2), 55 school age (9–10–year–old) boys diagnosed to have developmental coordination disorder. The children were randomly grouped in four experimental groups, 3 training interventions groups (physical, mental and compound) (n=14) and the control group (n=13). Visual vividness and physical self–perception determined by visual vividness questionnaire (VVQ) and Harter scale respectively. Training programs involved 24 sessions of 45 minutes for each of them. The programs consist of selected physical, mental and compound trainings, which respectively conducted in groups and individually. Compound group was given different training order in turn (physical+mental and vice versa) and control group was not assigned to any intervention. In order to modify cognitive and arousal effects induced by training order counterbalance method was recruited. All measures were administered pre and post an 8–week, 3 times a week to identify the changes in physical self–perception associated with trainings. To detect differences between the pre– and post–test, after making sure of normal distribution of data utilizing Shapiro–Wilks normality test and Levene’s test, Ancova and paired sample T–Test were conducted to calculate equality of variances and Post hoc comparisons were followed by Bonfrroni test (set at 0.05). Effect size was calculated to determine the practical significance of statistical difference (p<0.05). All data were analyzed using SPSS–19 for windows.

The results showed that all 3 training groups (mental, physical and compound) indicates significant improvement (p<0.001) in motor perception from pre–test to post–test. Within group comparisons implies that compound training significantly (p<0.05) caused more effect than the others. As well as statistical, this positive improvement also showed a large practical significance (d=0.43), (d=0.55), (d=0.73) in mental, physical and compound groups respectively after the intervention period. 

The result determines significant improvement in physical self– perception that can be fulfilled by using physical and mental trainings for 9–10–year–old boys who have developmental coordination disorder, and compound training might be the most effective way to facilitate motor development in DCD children. It is important to remember that the motor competence and self–concept of children are two important components of their total well– beings, which seemed to be interlinked from young age. When they experience problem such as those indicate for DCD, specific intervention seems to be necessary in order to optimally improve these aspects. This study might help to develop training protocol for DCD children based on more documents, which improve our knowledge of perceived competence from both physical and mental trainings functions that would be beneficial for DCD children and therapists.

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects 5–6% of school-aged children. The impacts of DCD are also not just confined to daily activities and educational function, but are associatedwithpoor physicalhealth,fitness, psychologicalandsocialoutcomes.The aim of this study was to compare effectiveness of different type of selected training programs (physical, mental and compound)to investigate the best intervention method in order to improve motor skills performance of children with developmental coordination disorder.

This empirical study, pre and post-test with control group design consisted of 55 school age (9-10 year old) boys diagnosed to have developmental coordination disorder according to developmental coordination disorderquestionnaire)DCDQ-07) and movement assessment battery for children second edition (MABC-2). The subjects were selected based on a degree of homogeneity of their answers to visual vividness questionnaire and accidentally divided to 4 groups, 3 training groups (physical, mental and compound) each group (n=14) and the control group (n=13). The programs include selected physical training in group, individual mental training conducting PETTLEP (physical, environment, task, timing, learning, emotion, perspective) method and a compound training, the one gives a training order in different turns (physical+ mental and vice versa). No intervention was assigned to control group. To modify cognitive and arousal effects induced by training order, counterbalance method was recruited. All measures were administered pre and post an 8-week 3 times a week training program involved 24 sessions of 45 min each.To identify the changes in motor skills performance associated with trainings Ancova and paired sample T-Test were conducted to detectdifferences between the pre-and post-test, after making sure of normal distribution of data utilizing Shapiro-Wilks normality test, Levene’s test was used for testing equality of variances and Post-Hoc comparisons were carried out with Bonfrroni test (set at 0.05). All data were analyzed using SPSS19 for windows.

Mean±SD score on all3training groups (mental, physical and compound) respectively indicates significant improvement (p<0.001) in motor skills performance from pre-test (58.851±4.102, 57.503±6.823, 57.793±4.357) to post-test (62.231±3.671, 63.502±4.235, 65.794±2.773). Within group comparisons implies that compound training significantly (p<0.05) caused more effect than the others.

This study set out with the aim of comparisoneffectiveness of different type of selected training programs (physical, mental and compound) to investigate the best intervention method in order to improve the motor skill performance of children with developmental coordination disorder. The result determined significant improvement in motor skill performance that could be reached by using physical and mental trainings for 9-10 year old boys who had developmental coordination disorder, and compound training might be the best way to facilitate motor development in DCD children. Literature focuses on measurement of impairment and description of intervention approaches for individual children. Nevertheless, some studies are known about the principles that should guide best practice and service delivery for children with DCD as a population though. This study might help to develop training protocol for DCD children based on more document, which improves our knowledge of both physical and mental trainings functions that would be beneficial for DCD children and therapists.