Specific impairments and predictive markers for developmental coordination disorder subtypes in children: The importance of multidimensional developmental assessments in cluster analysis

Abstract

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) defines a heterogeneous group of children exhibiting impairments in motor coordination that significantly interferes with an individual's academic achievement and/or activities of daily living. No concensus and little interest are noticed in the literature about researches of DCD subtypes due to methodology, while it could provide an important contribution to an understanding of DCD (semiology, etiology, neurophysiological brain mecanisms) to better define a therapeutic orientation. Only some studies have used cluster analysis as a method to identify distinct subtypes of children with DCD. In this approach a set of measurements is acquired and subjects are grouped together on the basis of the profiles of their scores. However, few studies have investigated different cerebral functions alongside a standardized motor developmental assessment. We will report and analyse the characteristics of DCD populations in studies and features of subtypes in clusters available in the literature and we will focus on model studies using strict inclusion criteria of participants with a multidimentional investigations composed of standardized psychological, neuropsychological, developmental neuromotor and psychomotor assessments, accompanied by neurovisual examination. Multivariate supervised statistical models were used to isolate specific markers of three subtypes of DCD (Ideomotor, Visuo-Spatial and Constructional, and the Mixed subgroup) with high predictive discriminant power on an augmented database of DCD children. The findings suggest that a set of appropriate measures of body structure and cognitive functions should be provided for DCD diagnosis and subtyping. The most discriminant markers (significant, p< 0.05) to explain the specificity of the three subtypes evidenced are: digital praxis, imitation of gestures, digital perception, visual motor integration, manual dexterity, visual spatial structuration, coordination between upper and lower limbs, and Lego blocks. This was confirmed by two multivariate statistical models (100% with Random Forest (RF) and 91,4 %, (0.713-0.999) with PLS discriminant analysis). Investigations of motor coordination should use a standardized neurodevelopmental assessment (with age-related normative data) with identical independent subtests across ages and qualitative and quantitative measures (such as NP-Mot Battery) reflecting the development of neuro-physiological mechanisms in child that contribute to movement timing, motor control, motor coordinationand motor execution. It is completed by cognitive and neurovisual investigations. Performance test with global score such as the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC), the most used in cluster studies and researches on DCD is questionable to diagnose DCD. Implications for the understanding of the nature and neurophysiological brain mechanisms involved in subtyping DCD are discussed with regard to multidimensional standardized investigations. Further researches in DCD subtyping may be encourag...

Implementation fidelity and outcomes of a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children on the autism spectrum and neurotypically developed peers

“…Those who performed the intervention were not the same as those who performed the assessment. The reliability and validity of this battery have been studied in children (de Amorim et al, 2022;Vaivre-Douret & Lalanne, 2020), including those on the autism spectrum (Paquet et al, 2019). Inter-rater reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.98 and 0.97 in the pre-and post-test, respectively.…”

Implementation fidelity and outcomes of a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children on the autism spectrum and neurotypically developed peers

“…Those who performed the intervention were not the same as those who performed the assessment. The reliability and validity of this battery have been studied in children (de Amorim et al, 2022;Vaivre-Douret & Lalanne, 2020), including those on the autism spectrum (Paquet et al, 2019). Inter-rater reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.98 and 0.97 in the pre-and post-test, respectively.…”

Implementation fidelity and outcomes of a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children on the autism spectrum and neurotypically developed peers

“…Those who performed the intervention were not the same as those who performed the assessment. The reliability and validity of this battery have been studied in children (de Amorim et al, 2022;Vaivre-Douret & Lalanne, 2020), including those on the autism spectrum (Paquet et al, 2019). Inter-rater reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.98 and 0.97 in the pre-and post-test, respectively.…”

Implementation fidelity and outcomes of a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children on the autism spectrum and neurotypically developed peers

“…Those who performed the intervention were not the same as those who performed the assessment. The reliability and validity of this battery have been studied in children (de Amorim et al, 2022;Vaivre-Douret & Lalanne, 2020), including those on the autism spectrum (Paquet et al, 2019). Inter-rater reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.98 and 0.97 in the pre-and post-test, respectively.…”