The Association of Fundamental Movement Skills with Self-perceived Physical Competence, Physical Activity, and Sleep Behaviors in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

The overall purpose of this thesis was to examine fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency and its associations with self-perceived physical competence (SPC), physical activity (PA), and sleep behaviors in children aged 7 to 10 years old with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).;The first study (Chapter 2) aimed to examine differences in FMS proficiency, SPC, PA, and sleep behaviors, and to determine associations of these variables between children with DCD and a matched group of typically developing (TD) children. Participants included 130 children (43 DCD, 87 TD). Five FMS (locomotor: running and jumping; object control: kicking, catching, and throwing) were tested using the components of the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second edition (TGMD-2). Physical competence and PA were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Sleep behaviors of children were reported by their parents. Compared to TD children, children with DCD were more overweight, displayed poorer performance in running, jumping, and catching. Children with DCD also viewed themselves as less competent over physical health, physical coordination, and sporting ability. They were also found to engage in less PA and experienced more sleep anxiety and sleep-disordered breathing. FMS proficiency was in general positively associated with SPC such as physical coordination and self-reported PA, with these associations being more evident in children with DCD. This study suggests that children with DCD should be the main target group for future motor skill interventions (MSIs).;The second study (Chapter 3) aimed to describe the components and the potential benefits of MSIs in children with DCD. A systematic search on six electronic databases was conducted. The search identified 40 articles that met the inclusion criteria. These studies were synthesized in terms of various aspects including study design, intervention components, outcomes, and significant improvements. The components of MSIs varied across studies, and the efficacy on outcome variables such as SPC and PA remained inconclusive. Only a few studies reported the underpinning theoretical framework for organizing a motor training program. Future MSIs in children with DCD should be implemented through a partnership approach, from a task-oriented perspective, underpinned by a sound theory of motor learning, and for a relatively long duration. Future studies are also needed to comprehensively examine the benefits of MSIs and their retentions in children with DCD based on the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health (ICF-CY) model.;The third study (Chapter 4) investigated the effects of FMS training on FMS proficiency, SPC, PA, and sleep problems of children with DCD compared with TD children. This study used the ICF-CY model as a theoretical framework and the error-reduced learning paradigm as a treatment approach for FMS training. A total of 22 children with DCD and 17 TD children underwent FMS training in a school setting for six weeks. Regular physical education lessons were delivered as a control condition in two other groups of their counterparts (16 DCD, 29 TD). Five FMS were tested using components of the TGMD-2. Physical competence was assessed through a self-report questionnaire while sleep problems were reported by the parents. Accelerometers were used to objectively monitor PA over a period of seven consecutive days. Each participating child attended all three scheduled assessments (i.e., before intervention, 1-week post intervention, and 6-week post intervention). Results showed that the FMS training was effective in improving both locomotor (jumping) and object-control (catching) skills in children with DCD and that their improvement of catching could sustain for at least six weeks. The FMS training was also effective in improving SPC (physical coordination, physical strength, and physical fitness) and in reducing sleep disturbances, but not promoting the PA levels in children with DCD. The findings suggest that FMS training appears to be an effective school-based intervention program for children with and without motor impairments. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).