The Effect of Selected Motor Games on Executive Functions of Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders

Background: This study aimed to determine the effect of selected motor games on executive functions of children with developmental coordination disorders. Methods: This was an experimental study with pretest-posttest design conducted in Tehran, Iran. The participants were ۳۰ children who were identified and selected based on diagnostic criteria in two stages and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group performed motor games for ۲۴ sessions during eight weeks, three sessions per week, every other day, and each session for ۴۵ to ۶۰ minutes. In the pretest and posttest, the Coolidge Executive Functioning scale (۲۰۰۲) was used to measure the Executive Functions of the subjects. Disorder Levels were measured using the data analyzed through SPSS software version ۲۲. Results: The results showed that after controlling the pretest levels, organizing, inhibition,  decision making-planning, and the overall score of executive functions in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group, in the posttest (p <۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Based on the results, the motor games intervention for eight weeks effectively improved the executive functions of children with developmental coordination disorders and can be used as an appropriate intervention.

Keywords:

Developmental Coordination Disorders , motor interventions , Childhood , Cognitive development , motor game