Evaluation of the Developmental Coordination Questionnaire (DCDQ) as a Screening Instrument for Co-occurring Motor Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Sep;52(9):4079-4088. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05285-1. Epub 2021 Sep 17.

Abstract

Although motor problems are highly prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), they remain underdiagnosed. Questionnaire-based screening for motor problems could optimize current clinical practice. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire (DCDQ) to screen for co-occurring motor problems in individuals with ASD (n = 115; aged 5-15 years). Results indicated an excellent internal consistency; concurrent and discriminant validity with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, second edition. Sensitivity was excellent, but specificity was lower. The positive and negative predictive values indicate that the DCDQ can be used to detect motor problems in children with ASD and can exclude the presence of developmental coordination disorder.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Developmental coordination disorder; Developmental coordination disorder questionnaire; Motor problems.

MeSH terms

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder* / diagnosis
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Motor Skills Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Psychometrics / methods
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Surveys and Questionnaires