Goal-orientated group intervention for children with developmental coordination disorder

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Occupational Therapy
• Motor Learning

Background:

• Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills in children.
• Effective interventions are crucial for improving functional outcomes in children with DCD.
• Goal-oriented approaches integrating motor learning and cognitive strategies are increasingly explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a goal-oriented group intervention for children with DCD.
• To assess improvements in motor performance and perceived competence after the intervention.
• To determine the feasibility of setting and achieving functional goals in children with DCD.

Main Methods:

• Repeated measures design with eight children (aged 7-11 years) diagnosed with DCD.
• Intervention involved goal setting with parent/caregiver input, utilizing motor learning and cognitive strategies.
• Concentrated practice schedules were employed over eight 50-minute sessions within a 2-week period.
• Outcome measures included the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in COPM and MABC scores post-intervention.
• Children successfully identified and worked towards personalized goals, with a high rate of goal attainment (34 fully met, 12 partially met).
• No significant changes were noted in perceived competence scores (Harter's Scale).

Conclusions:

• A goal-oriented group intervention, incorporating concentrated practice, is a potentially effective method for improving motor skills and functional performance in children with DCD.
• The intervention facilitated goal achievement, highlighting the importance of personalized goal setting in pediatric therapy.
• Further research is warranted to explore the impact on perceived competence and long-term outcomes.