Article

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a significant disorder of
childhood, characterized by core difficulties in learning fine and/or gross motor
skills, and the attendant psychosocial problems.
The aim of the meta-analysis
presented here (the first on DCD since 1998) was to summarize trends in the
literature over the past 14 years and to identify and describe the main motor
control and cognitive deficits that best discriminate children with DCD from
those without. Method A systematic review of the literature published between
January 1997 and August 2011 was conducted. All available journal papers
reporting a comparison between a group of children with DCD and a group of
typically developing children on behavioural measures were included. Results One
hundred and twenty-nine studies yielded 1785 effect sizes based on a total of
2797 children with DCD and 3407 typically developing children. Across all outcome
measures, a moderate to large effect size was found, suggesting a generalized
performance deficit in children with DCD. The pattern of deficits suggested
several areas of pronounced difficulty, including internal (forward) modelling,
rhythmic coordination, executive function, gait and postural control, catching
and interceptive action, and aspects of sensoriperceptual function.
Interpretation The results suggest that the predictive control of action may be a
fundamental disruption in DCD, along with the ability to develop stable
coordination patterns. Implications for theory development and intervention are
discussed.
CI - (c) The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (c) 2012 Mac Keith
Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS