Abstract
Background: Despite the fairly high prevalence of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) among children (5-6% of school population), existing research and therapeutic practice lack rigorously conducted, randomised controlled studies that could be instrumental in finding the most effective intervention programs as judged by improvements of various facets of patients’ motor proficiency, their physiological status, and adherence rates.
Purpose: This study sought to compare the outcomes of task-oriented and strength training exercise intervention programs in terms of improving motor proficiency as well as the levels of enjoyment and compliancy to treatment among children with DCD.
Design: Randomized controlled pilot trial.
Methods: Eighteen children aged 8-12 years diagnosed with DCD were randomly assigned to the task-oriented exercise program (n=9) or strength training program (n=9). Children were assessed using the Developmental Coordination Questionnaire and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, as well as a battery of self-reported measures of enjoyment and the level of parental encouragement needed. Intervention consisted of 8-week exercise physiologist-led individual or group exercise sessions held once a week plus a series of home exercise program.
Analysis: A series of one-way ANOVAs and paired t-tests were used to investigate the within-group and between-group effects of the two programs. Multiple linear regressions were run to test whether and which contextual and child-related characteristics affected the treatment success.
Results: Both programs have led to statistically significant improvements in terms of children’s motor proficiency as measured by total score (p<.001 for both groups), manual dexterity (p=.004 and p=.001 in the task-oriented and strength-training groups, respectively), ball skills (p<.001 in the in the task-oriented group), and balance (p<.001 and p<.01). The group allocation did not influence the post-treatment results. No statistically significant differences were found between the two programs in terms of enjoyment and encouragement levels.