Information processing deficits associated with developmental coordination disorder: a meta-analysis of research findings

J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1998 Sep;39(6):829-40.

Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted to identify information processing factors that characterise children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). A total of 50 studies yielded 374 effect sizes based on 983 DCD and 987 control children. A mild generalised performance deficit was indicated, since motor-impaired children were inferior on almost all measures of information processing. There were, however, several areas where their deficiencies were more pronounced. The greatest deficiency was in visual-spatial processing. This was evident regardless of whether or not the tasks involved a motor component. Most other deficiencies were in the small-to-moderate range and included kinaesthetic and cross-modal processing. The findings support the notion that perceptual problems, particularly in the visual modality, are associated with difficulties in motor coordination.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Motor Skills Disorders / complications*