Anxiety, confidence and self-concept in adults with and without developmental coordination disorder.
Adults with DCD feel high anxiety and low movement confidence—target these feelings before teaching new motor skills.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Harris et al. (2021) asked the adults to fill out online surveys. Half had diagnosed or suspected developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The other half were typically developing peers.
The surveys measured general anxiety, movement-specific anxiety, confidence, and self-concept. The team then compared the two groups.
What they found
Adults with DCD scored twice as high on anxiety scales. They also rated their own movement confidence and resilience much lower than the control group.
The gap was biggest in sport and social-movement settings, like dancing or team games.
How this fits with other research
Schiltz et al. (2017) saw the same anxiety spike, but in autistic youth. The two studies seem to clash because one is kids with ASD and the other is adults with DCD. The real story: anxiety stays high across diagnoses and ages, so screen for it no matter the label.
Deserno et al. (2017) found bright adults with autism living far below their IQ level. Sophie shows a parallel picture: adults with DCD feel they can't move well even when they try. Both papers warn that paper-strong skills can hide real-life struggle.
Pathak et al. (2019) mapped adaptive gaps in autistic children. Sophie extends that line into adulthood and swaps adaptive scores for confidence scores, showing the emotional cost of living with a hidden motor disability.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with DCD, autism, or any neurodevelopmental condition, add quick anxiety and confidence screens to your intake. Movement-based goals will stall if the client is too worried to try. Build in small wins, celebrate effort, and consider referral for CBT or sport-based confidence groups. Treat the fear, not just the motor plan.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Open your next adult session with a 2-question anxiety thermometer and let the client set one tiny movement goal they feel a large share sure they can hit.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) report lower general wellbeing and higher general anxiety levels than typically developing (TD) adults. AIMS: To examine and explore relationships between anxiety and confidence (self-efficacy and resilience) generally and in a movement-specific context, along with self-concept among adults with DCD and TD adults. METHODS: 74 adults with diagnosed DCD, 26 adults with suspected DCD and 79 TD adults (18-60 years) completed an online questionnaire composed of a mixture of existent psychometric measures and novel scales. RESULTS: General and movement-specific anxiety, self-efficacy and general resilience were all poorer in adults with diagnosed and suspected DCD compared to TD adults. Higher resilience was related to higher self-efficacy and lower anxiety in adults with DCD. Individuals with suspected DCD for whom motor skills difficulties were an important aspect of their self-concept had lower movement-specific self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to improve the psychosocial wellbeing of adults with DCD should include a focus on lowering anxiety and building self-efficacy and resilience, with particular attention to movement-related domains. IMPLICATIONS: This would facilitate the effective development of strategies to manage motor skills difficulties and their impact on everyday life for adults with DCD.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104119