Cognitive Profiles of Children with Low Motor Performance: A Contribution to the Validation of the WPPSI-IV

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Educational Assessment

Background:

• Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) frequently presents with motor and cognitive deficits in preschoolers.
• Specific cognitive challenges in DCD include visual perception, working memory, and processing speed issues.
• The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale-IV (WPPSI-IV) is evaluated for its utility in assessing these deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the WPPSI-IV is a valid and cost-effective tool for identifying cognitive deficits in children with DCD.
• To compare cognitive profiles of children with DCD, those with below-average motor skills, and a control group using the WPPSI-IV.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of WPPSI-IV test results.
• Inclusion of three groups: children with DCD (n=12), children with below-average motor skills (n=22), and a control group (n=32).

Main Results:

• Children with DCD demonstrated significantly lower scores on WPPSI-IV primary indices (Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Processing Speed, Full Scale) compared to controls.
• Children with only below-average motor skills did not differ significantly from the control group on WPPSI-IV measures.

Conclusions:

• The WPPSI-IV is confirmed as a suitable instrument for diagnosing cognitive deficits associated with DCD.
• The Fluid Reasoning and Verbal Comprehension indices of the WPPSI-IV are recommended for supplementary assessment of cognitive performance in DCD.