Motor imagery training enhances motor skill in children with DCD: A replication study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Motor Control

Background:

• Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) often struggle with motor imagery, potentially due to an internal modeling deficit (IMD).
• Previous research indicated that a computerized imagery training protocol was as effective as perceptual-motor therapy (PMT) for motor skill acquisition in children with DCD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To replicate and extend previous findings on imagery training effectiveness.
• To investigate the efficacy of imagery training in a select group of children with moderate-to-severe DCD.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 36 children diagnosed with DCD (scoring below the 10th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - MABC).
• Participants were assigned to either an imagery training group, a perceptual-motor training (PMT) group, or a wait-list control group.
• Motor proficiency was assessed using the MABC before and after a 5-week intervention period, with one 60-minute session per week.

Main Results:

• The imagery training protocol demonstrated equal effectiveness to PMT in enhancing motor skill acquisition, yielding moderate-to-large effect sizes.
• A significant improvement in motor performance was observed in the majority of children within both intervention groups.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide further support for the use of motor imagery protocols in treating DCD.
• The results offer tentative support for the internal modeling deficit (IMD) hypothesis of DCD.
• Further discussion addresses developmental and dosage considerations for imagery-based interventions.