Relationship of visual perceptual deficit and motor impairment in children with developmental coordination disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Motor Control

Background:

• Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills in children.
• Visual perceptual deficits are often associated with DCD.
• The relationship between visual perception and motor impairments in DCD requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between visual perceptual deficits and motor impairments in children with DCD.
• To determine if visual perception is correlated with motor skills, particularly those involving timed responses.
• To differentiate the impact of timed visual information versus motor-free visual perception on motor performance.

Main Methods:

• Sixty children with DCD and 60 age- and sex-matched controls were assessed.
• Motor skills were evaluated using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (fine and gross motor dexterity).
• Visual perception and reaction time were measured using the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills-Revised and lower extremity reaction time tasks (eyes open/closed).

Main Results:

• Children with DCD performed significantly worse on motor and visual perceptual tasks compared to controls.
• A significant correlation was found between visual perception and motor skills that involved timed responses.
• No significant correlation was observed between motor-free visual perception and motor performance when visual information was controlled.

Conclusions:

• Timed motor performance is significantly related to visual perception in children with DCD.
• Motor-free visual perception does not appear to be significantly related to motor performance in this population.
• The findings suggest that the speed component of motor tasks is crucial in the relationship between visual perception and motor deficits in DCD.