Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Conditions
Keywords
Therapeutic climbing, Neurodevelopmental condition, Group intervention, Participation-oriented approach, Occupational therapy
Brief summary
This study looks at whether therapeutic climbing - indoor climbing activities guided by therapists - can help children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). DCD is a condition where children have difficulty with motor skills and participation in everyday activities, and sometimes confidence in physical activities. The climbing program is based on a problem-solving approach called CO-OP (Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance), in which children learn strategies to achieve goals.
Detailed description
Background: Therapeutic climbing, based on the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach, may improve goal performance and satisfaction in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), as well as their motivation and self-efficacy toward physical activity. Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a CO-OP-based group therapeutic climbing intervention for children with DCD. Methods: A randomized crossover trial will be conducted with children with DCD. The intervention will consist of a 10-week group-based therapeutic climbing program delivered in an indoor climbing setting. Primary outcomes will include performance and satisfaction related to individualized goals. Secondary outcomes will assess motor skills, self-efficacy, executive functions, motivation toward physical activity, and transfer of learning. Effects of the intervention will be assessed using linear mixed effects models. Results: It is hypothesized that participants will demonstrate improvements in both primary and secondary outcomes following the intervention. Conclusions: This study will contribute to the evidence base regarding therapeutic climbing and CO-OP-based interventions for children with DCD, informing future rehabilitation practices.
Interventions
OTHERCO-OP-based group therapeutic climbing intervention
The intervention will consist of a 10-week group-based therapeutic climbing program delivered once weekly on Saturday afternoons at an indoor climbing center. Sessions will be delivered by an occupational therapist (OT), two occupational therapy interns, and a certified climbing monitor (hereafter referred to as "intervention providers"). Each 90-minute session will follow the same global structure. The intervention is grounded in the CO-OP approach.
Sponsors
Université de Sherbrooke
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of DCD by a physician\*. * Ability to follow instructions, communicate verbally, interact with adults and peers, and use cognitive strategies. * Ability to attend all assessment and intervention sessions in Sherbrooke. * Ability to understand and speak French. * Provision of child assent and parental consent. \* If the target sample size (n = 16) is not reached, children with suspected DCD based on the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) (25,26) will also be considered. Eligibility will then require: (1) a score below the 15th percentile on the total motor composite or below the 5th percentile in a domain of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT) (27,28), and (2) the identification of occupational challenges using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (29,30) during the initial assessment.
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of severe behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and/or severe functional limitations. * Prior proficiency in climbing or absence of climbing-related goals.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Performance related to individualized goals | Baseline (2-3 months before the intevention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Assess with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (visual analog scale of 1-10) |
| Satisfaction related to individualized goals | Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Assess with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (visual analog scale of 1-10) |
| Performance related to climbing-specific goals | Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Assess with the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS) (visual analog scale of 1-10) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Motor skills | Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Third Edition (BOT-3) (standard scores (mean = 50, SD = 10) or scale scores for subtests (mean = 10, SD = 3)) |
| Self-efficacy | Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Assess with the French adaptation of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) (5-point Likert scale) |
| Executive functioning | Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Assess with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2) T-scores (mean = 50, SD = 10) |
| Motivation for physical activity | Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention | Assess with the Pictorial Motivation Scale (PMS) for physical activity (3-point scale) |
Contacts
CONTACTEmmanuelle Jasmin, Ph.D.
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOREmmanuelle Jasmin, Ph.D.
Université de Sherbrooke
Outcome results
None listed