Abstract
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's fine and gross motor coordination (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Consequently, children with DCD have difficulties carrying out daily activities of life such as self-care, active play, and household chores, and tend to withdraw from social engagements where motor competence is required (Ruckser-Scherb et al., 2013). Social interaction, however, is particularly important for children with DCD, yet research investigating the link between withdrawn behaviours and social interactions in very young children with DCD is limited. Participants (N = 494, 218 girls, Mage = 4.47±0.50 years) in the current study are part of a larger cohort study with 261 (155 boys) children classified as at risk for DCD, scoring below the 16th percentile on the MABC-2 (Barnett et al., 2007). Analysis showed between group differences for withdrawn behaviours (p < .001). In comparison to typically developing children (M = 1.00), children scoring in the 1st–5th percentile (M = 2.06, p < .001, d = 0.63) and the 6-16th percentile (M = 1.59, p < .001, d = 0.38) in motor coordination reported more withdrawn symptoms. No differences in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) were found between groups. Children's active play at this age often requires less complex motor skills and thus, may explain this lack of differences in PA. Because the gap in PA in children with DCD may widen with age, the role of withdrawn behaviours as a contributing factor should be further explored.Acknowledgments: This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) award (#126015)