School-based Motor Skill Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Anni Pohjanvirta, Tanja Pöyliö, Katie Robinson et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined school-based motor skill interventions for children and adolescents aged 5–19 years with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) or probable DCD. The review included 35 studies; 18 studies, contributing 47 effect sizes, were eligible for meta-analysis. Interventions were associated with a large improvement in motor performance compared with nontraining controls (Hedges g=1.06; 95% CI, 0.60-1.53). Higher training frequency and total intervention dose moderated effects, and teacher-led interventions showed larger effects than those led by external facilitators.
Key findings
- Across 18 studies and 47 effect sizes, school-based interventions had a large effect on motor performance (Hedges g=1.06; 95% CI, 0.60-1.53).
- Training at least 3 times a week and a total dose of at least 500 minutes yielded the largest effects.
- Both teacher-led and external facilitator-led interventions improved motor performance; teacher-led interventions showed larger effects.
Why it matters
Motor skill interventions delivered in schools may improve motor performance in children and adolescents with DCD or probable DCD. The findings also suggest that intervention frequency, total dose, and delivery by teachers may be relevant when designing or evaluating school-based programmes, although the review does not establish a single optimal programme.
What to keep in mind
Only studies with a DCD or probable DCD nontraining control group were eligible for meta-analysis, so the pooled result reflects a subset of the 35 studies in the review.