Goal-Orientated Group Intervention for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

This study measures the effectiveness of a goal-orientated group intervention using concentrated practice schedules for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The study design is repeated measures. The sample comprises eight children with DCD, aged 7-11 years. Outcome measures are the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC), the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Harter's Scale of Perceived Competence/Harter and Pike's Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence, and clinical observations. The children set goals with the perceived efficacy and goal setting system with parents/caregivers input. The intervention used a goal-oriented approach combining motor learning and cognitive strategies consisting of eight 50-min sessions over 2 weeks. The results show significant improvements in the COPM and MABC scores following intervention but no changes in Harter's scores. Fifty-six goals were identified with 34 met totally, 12 met partially, and 10 remained unmet. A goal-oriented group intervention shows potential as an effective intervention method.