Relationships between motor skills and executive functions in developmental coordination disorder (DCD): A systematic review

Abstract

Background

Individuals with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) experience motor skill and executive function (EF) difficulties that challenge their daily activities.

Aim/Objective

This systematic review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the relationships between motor skills and EFs in studies among individuals with DCD.

Material and methods

We conducted a systematic search of eight electronic databases for articles (published 1994–2021) reporting on quantitative studies that estimated relationships between motor skills and EFs when assessing children, adolescents and adults with DCD. Motor skills and EFs were assessed via reliable and validated assessment tools. Two reviewers independently screened the articles. We evaluated the quality of the selected articles according to EPHPP guidelines and the methodological quality of the assessments from these studies using the COSMIN checklist and reported results following the PRISMA-P checklist. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019124578).

Results

A total of 30,808 articles were screened. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Findings from nine studies demonstrated weak to strong correlations between aspects of motor skills and EFs.

Conclusions and significance

Limited evidence supports the relationships between motor skills and EFs among individuals with DCD. Occupational therapists should consider the possibility of this relationship and give more consideration to these components when planning intervention for individuals with DCD.

Keywords:

• Assessment tool
• daily function
• intervention
• occupational therapy
• questionnaire

Acknowledgements

All authors contributed to preparation of the manuscript. The protocol was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42019124578).

Disclosure statement

The authors have declared that they have no competing or potential conflicts of interests.

Data availability statement

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

Additional information

Funding

The first author received financial support for a scholarship from Oxford Brookes University for post-doctoral research in the Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development with the fourth author (AB). During the time of writing, the third writer received funding from Hogrefe Ltd. for a doctoral studentship.