Focused attention and intrinsic motivation using animations for instruction of fundamental motor skills in children with Down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Children with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate poorer performance in locomotor and ball skills than children with typical development. During motor assessment, keeping children's attention and motivation is challenging, especially for children with DS, which may affect the test outcomes. This study aimed first to examine the impact of examiner and App-animation demonstrations during the assessment on the performance of fundamental motor skills, focus of attention and intrinsic motivation for children with DS and neurotypical development (NTD). The secondary aim was to examine the differences in those outcomes between children with DS and neurotypical development. METHODS: A sample of 24 children (10 with DS and 14 with NTD) aged between 3 and 10 years were subjected to two motor performance assessment protocols: a traditional protocol using the Gross Motor Development Test-3 (TGMD-3) and a protocol using animations from an application as support for TGMD-3 (AppP). The focus of attention was obtained from video recordings during protocol instruction (number of eye shifts, eye shift time, instruction focus time, number of instructions required and total instruction time). Intrinsic motivation was assessed by the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) at the end of each protocol. RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences between the protocols for locomotor skills, ball skills and gross motor index. However, children with NTD outperformed those with DS in these skills. When analysing the focus of attention, children with DS showed greater ocular deviations and longer instruction time requested in the traditional protocol compared with AppP, even when compared with NDT children. When comparing protocols in both groups, AppP demonstrated fewer ocular deviations and shorter ocular deviation times. Regarding intrinsic motivation, children with DS in the traditional protocol had lower motivation scores than those with NTD. Regarding the purchase of protocols, in both groups, the AppP presented higher scores for interest/pleasure, perceived competence and general motivation, with lower pressure/tension. CONCLUSION: The animated application (AppP) proved effective as a visual support during the TGMD-3 assessment, particularly benefiting children with DS by enhancing motivation and attention.

Self-efficacy profile in daily activities: Children at risk and with developmental coordination disorder.

AIM: The objectives of this study were: 1) to compare the perceptions of self-efficacy in the daily activities (self-care, schoolwork, and leisure) of boys and girls with DCD, or in children at risk for DCD (r-DCD) and in typical children (TD); 2) to investigate if a self-efficacy assessment could be a support tool in the establishment of children with the DCD profile. METHODS: Children between 6 to 8 years old (N=115: 35 with DCD, 40 with r-DCD, 40 with TD) were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) and the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System (PEGS). A two-way MANOVA showed significant effect for the perceived self-efficacy group. RESULTS: The Bonferroni post hoc test indicated that in the self-care, schoolwork, leisure, and general self-efficacy dimensions the children with DCD presented significantly lower scores compared to children with r-DCD and TD (p < 0.001). A similar result was observed for r-DCD children in comparison with TD (p < 0.001). The discriminate analysis showed that perceived self-efficacy in leisure activities was the variable that most contributed to the discrimination of the groups. CONCLUSION: The judgment of children with DCD and r-DCD on the effectiveness of the execution of schoolwork and leisure activities may have been influenced by the motor skill difficulties showed by the children.

Developmental co-ordination disorder in socially disadvantaged Brazilian children.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) indicate a need for identification in order to provide adequate intervention. The goals of the study were to investigate DCD prevalence across age bands, gender, race and school performance; the motor difficulties of children with DCD, at-risk and typically developing children in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) sub-tests across age bands and gender; and the relationship between motor outcomes, age, gender and socio-economic status (SES) in socially disadvantaged Brazilian children. METHODS: The MABC was administered to 1056 Brazilian children from 4 to 10 years old. RESULTS: Eighteen per cent of the children were screened as probable DCD (≤5th percentile) and a further 15% as at risk for DCD (>5th and ≤15th percentile). Significantly more children were screened with probable DCD at age 9-10 years (AB3: P = 0.00), whereas at risk classification was equally distributed across age bands (P = 0.12). Boys showed lower prevalence than girls of probable DCD and at risk for DCD (P = 0.04). Children (9-10 years) showed higher motor impairment in the manual dexterity test results. Children with probable DCD and at risk of DCD showed, in general, poor performance in balance and manual dexterity tasks. SES was the strongest predictor of motor outcomes, accounting for 21% of the variance in the MABC percentile scores. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of probable and at-risk DCD cases as well as the percentage of female were higher than those found in the previous studies, and low SES enhances the risk of poor motor development.

Trajet�ria motora de crian�as brasileiras: aquisi��o do controle postural do nascimento aos 18 meses de idade / Motor trajectory of brazilian children: acquisition of postural control from birth to age 18 months

Introdu��o: O per�odo das aquisi��es motoras da inf�ncia pode variar entre indiv�duos, em decorr�ncia de causas m�ltiplas, como, por exemplo, as diferen�as culturais e socioecon�micas. Objetivos: Descrever a trajet�ria de desenvolvimento do controle postural antigravitacional e maestria nas posi��es prono, supino, sentado e em p�, de crian�as brasileiras de 0 aos 18 meses e analisar se o per�odo de aquisi��o do controle postural em crian�as brasileiras � diferente daquele de crian�as canadenses. M�todos: Estudo descritivo e observacional, transversal (cross sectional), do qual participaram 795 crian�as de Institui��es, Hospitais, Unidades B�sicas de Sa�de e Escolas de Educa��o Infantil. A Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) foi utilizada para avaliar o desenvolvimento motor e maestria nas posi��es, prono, supino, sentado e em p�. Resultados: Os resultados demonstram aumento alinear do n�mero de aquisi��es motoras das crian�as brasileiras com o passar da idade. A primeira posi��o na qual a crian�a adquire maestria � a supino, seguida pela posi��o prono, em p� e, por �ltimo, a posi��o sentado. A trajet�ria motora das crian�as brasileiras difere das crian�as canadenses; o aparecimento do controle postural antigravitacional foi mais lento nas crian�as brasileiras. Discuss�o e conclus�es: A trajet�ria de aquisi��es motoras das crian�as brasileiras difere das curvas apresentadas pelas crian�as canadenses, por�m est� dentro do intervalo considerado pelo Minist�rio da Sa�de e pela OMS. As diferen�as observadas podem ser derivadas das diferen�as socioculturais, pois podem impactar significativamente o desenvolvimento da crian�a. A avalia��o do desenvolvimento normal da crian�a � muito importante, visto que possibilita a detec��o precoce de atrasos e o planejamento da interven��o direcionada ao controle postural esperado.

Movement assessment battery for children-2: translation, reliability, and validity for Brazilian children.

The Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition (MABC-2) is a well-recognized assessment used to identify children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Although researchers and practitioners across Brazil have used the MABC-2 to identify children with motor deficits, its validation for this particular population has yet to be investigated. In this study, we translated all MABC-2 items and validated them with respect to content, construct and criteria validity. The validation process involved 13 experts in Motor Development and a total of 844 children (3-13 years old) from two different states in Brazil. A cross-cultural translation method yielded a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the battery. The expert panel confirmed language clarity and pertinence of the items. High intra- and inter-rater reliability and internal consistency for the MABC-2 was established for Brazilian children. A discriminant analysis confirmed the MABC-2 power (.80) to differentiate children with DCD and those at risk for DCD from typically developing children. Predictive validity was observed for the impairment scores and a percentile main effect was found in the repeated measures ANOVA (ICC: .93 and .73, respectively). Although our data are not representative of the entire country, this study is the first to confirm that the original standardized scores established for the MABC-2 are valid in Brazilian children.

Body mass index, perceived and actual physical competence: the relationship among young children.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived physical competence (PPC), actual motor competence (MC) and body mass index (BMI) in young children. METHODS: We assessed MC (Test of Gross Motor Development - 2nd Edition), PPC (Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance) and BMI (CDC calculator) of 178 young children ages 4-7 years. RESULTS: The linear regression model for the overall sample showed that BMI was a better predictor of PPC than MC. Also, obese children had lower PPC, but showed no differences in MC compared with leaner peers. CONCLUSIONS: PPC of young obese children was lower than their leaner counterparts, yet their MC was similar. That outcome draws attention to the importance of promoting positive PPC in young children.

Use of bioclimatic indexes to characterize phenological phases of apple varieties in Northern Italy.

The research was designed to characterize the phenological behaviour of different apple varieties and to compare different bioclimatic indexes in order to evaluate their adaptability in describing the phenological phases of fruit species. A field study on the requirement for chilling units (winter chilling requirement) and the accumulation of growing degree hours of 15 native apple cultivars was carried out in a fruit-growing area in North West Italy (Cuneo Province, Piedmont). From 1991 to 1993, climatic data were collected at meteorological stations installed in an experimental orchard (Verzuolo, Cuneo). Four methods were compared to determine the winter chilling requirement: Hutchins, Weinberger-Eggert, Utah and North Carolina. The Utah method was applied to determine the time when the chilling units accumulated become effective in meeting the rest requirements. A comparison of the different methods indicated that the Weinberger-Eggert method is the best: as it showed the lowest statistical variability during the 3 years of observations. The growing degree hour requirement (GDH) was estimated by the North Carolina method with two different base temperatures: 4.4 degrees C and 6.1 degrees C. More difficulties were met when the date of rest completion and the beginning of GDH accumulation was determined. The best base temperature for the estimation of GDH is 4.4 degrees C. Phenological and climatic characterizations are two basic tools for giving farmers and agricultural advisors important information about which varieties to choose and which are the best and the most correct cultivation practices to follow.