Effect of motor competence-based intervention on physical activity and physical fitness in children aged 3-6 years at risk for developmental coordination disorder
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Insights
A 12-week motor competence intervention improved overall motor competence, weekday physical activity, and physical fitness in young children at risk for developmental coordination disorder. These findings highlight the benefits of targeted interventions for this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Developmental pediatrics
- Motor learning
Background:
- Poor motor competence (MC) is a key characteristic of young children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
- This can limit participation in physical activity (PA) and negatively impact physical fitness (PF).
- The effectiveness of MC interventions for children at risk for DCD (rDCD) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of an MC intervention on MC, PA, and PF in young children with rDCD.
- To compare the outcomes of a tailored MC intervention with sensory integration training.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-six children with rDCD were assigned to either an MC intervention group or a control group receiving sensory integration training.
- The MC intervention focused on stability, locomotor, and object control skills over 12 weeks.
- Motor competence was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2), alongside measures of PA and PF.
Main Results:
- The MC intervention group showed significant improvements in overall MC compared to the control group.
- Improvements were noted in specific skills like aiming/catching, balance, and locomotor skills, but not manual dexterity.
- Weekday moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and overall physical fitness also significantly increased in the intervention group.
Conclusions:
- A tailored motor competence intervention demonstrated short-term benefits for overall motor competence in young children at risk for DCD.
- The intervention also positively influenced weekday physical activity levels and overall physical fitness.
- These findings suggest that targeted MC interventions can be effective for improving key developmental outcomes in children with rDCD.
Background:
Poor motor competence (MC) is a core feature of young children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD), often limiting participation in physical activity (PA) and negatively affecting physical fitness (PF). Although MC improvement is recognized as effective for promoting PA and PF in typically developing children, its effects in young children at risk for DCD (rDCD) remain unclear.
Objective:
To investigate the outcomes of MC intervention on MC, PA, and PF in young children with rDCD.
Methods:
Twenty-six children with rDCD (Mage = 4.64 years) were quasi-randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 12, 10 boys) or a control group (n = 14, 10 boys). The experimental group received an MC intervention that incorporated stability demands within task-specific contexts and progressively integrated locomotor and object control skills. The control group received sensory integration training. Both groups participated in 40-min, one-to-one sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was overall MC, as assessed using the total score of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2). All outcomes were assessed at baseline and after intervention. Data were analyzed using two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance.
Results:
After the 12-week intervention, overall MC was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (mean difference = 12.98, P < 0.05). Significant interactions were observed for aiming and catching, balance, and locomotor skills (P < 0.05), whereas no interaction was found for manual dexterity (P > 0.05). Only weekday moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was higher in the experimental group than in the control group after the intervention (mean difference = 19.11, P < 0.05). Total PF scores were also higher in the experimental group (mean difference = 4.36, P < 0.05), with notable improvements in the double-leg timed hop and balance beam test. No significant associations were observed between changes in total MABC-2 score and changes in total PF score or MVPA (P > 0.05).
Conclusions:
A tailored motor competence intervention was associated with short-term improvements in overall motor competence, weekday MVPA, and overall PF in young children with rDCD.
