Motor, Physical, and Psychosocial Parameters of Children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Comparative and Associative Study

Glauber C. Nobre, Maria Helena da S. Ramalho, Michele de Souza Ribas and Nadia C. Valentini ()
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Glauber C. Nobre: Department of Physical Education and Sports, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará, Fortaleza 60020-181, Ceará, Brazil
Maria Helena da S. Ramalho: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Michele de Souza Ribas: Sports Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Nadia C. Valentini: School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Dance, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90690-200, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: (1) Background: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a chronic impairment that affects several domains that mark the developmental trajectory from childhood to adulthood. Aim: This study examined the differences in physical and psychosocial factors for children with DCD and typical development (TD) and the associations between these factors with gross motor coordination. (2) Methods: Children with DCD ( n = 166; age: M = 8.74, SD = 2.0) and TD ( n = 243; Age: M = 8.94; SD = 2.0) attending private and public schools were screened using the MABC-2. Children were then assessed using the Körperkoordination test für Kinder (gross coordination), the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System (self-efficacy), horizontal jump (lower limb strength), and dynamometer (handgrip strength). A semi-structured interview was carried out to examine the oriented physical activity practice in the daily routine, the time spent in the activities, and the use of public spaces to practice non-oriented physical activities. (3) Results: Children with TD showed scores significantly higher than children with DCD in almost all factors with small to very large effect sizes; the exceptions were self-care and daily physical activity. The structural equation model showed that for children with DCD, the BMI explained negatively and significantly the motor coordination (b = −0.19, p = 0.019), whereas physical activity (b = 0.25, p < 0.001), lower limb strength (b = 0.38, p < 0.001), and perceived self-efficacy (b = 0.19, p = 0.004) explained it positively. For children with TD, the BMI explained negatively and significantly the motor coordination (b = −0.23, p = 0.002), whereas physical activity (b = 0.25, p < 0.001) and lower limb strength (b = 0.32, p < 0.001) explained it positively. (4) Conclusions: The authors extended previous research by providing evidence that factors affecting motor coordination vary across childhood for children with DCD and TD. Self-efficacy was relevant only in explaining motor coordination for children with DCD.

Keywords: motor coordination; self-efficacy; body mass index; strength; physical activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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