Obstacle negotiation while dual-tasking in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): An augmented-reality approach.
Kids with DCD trip more when a simple task splits their attention during high obstacles, so keep the environment quiet during tough motor drills.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers used an augmented-reality game to test 8- to young learners with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).
Kids stepped over virtual obstacles while doing a simple or hard memory task. The team tracked how often they tripped or slowed down.
What they found
Children with DCD only stumbled more when the obstacle was high and the extra task was simple. When the task was hard, both groups slipped about the same.
In plain words: simple distractions, not hard ones, expose the motor gap in DCD.
How this fits with other research
Psotta et al. (2020) showed that telling kids with DCD to look at the ceiling (external focus) boosts jump height. Both studies point to attention direction, not muscle strength, driving motor success.
Zhu et al. (2014) found that DCD plus balance problems hikes obesity risk. Emily et al. now add that even small attention splits can upset balance, giving a motor reason for the weight gain pattern.
Yin et al. (2026) saw preschoolers with developmental delays show less varied play. The new data suggest that, by elementary school, these kids still struggle when they must divide attention while moving.
Why it matters
If you work with clumsy kids, keep the room quiet during high-step practice. Save the chit-chat for flat-ground drills. One easy switch: ask the child to count ceiling tiles, not think about foot placement, mirroring the external-focus boost Rudolf found. This tiny tweak can cut trips and build safer gait habits.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) exhibit deficits in predictive motor control, balance, and aspects of cognitive control, which are important for safely negotiating obstacles while walking. As concurrent performance of cognitive and motor tasks (dual-tasking) may exacerbate these deficits, we examined motor and cognitive dual-tasking differences between children with DCD and their typically developing (TD) peers during obstacle negotiation. METHODS: 34 children aged 6-12 years (16 TD, 18 DCD) walked along a 12 m path, stepping over an obstacle (30 % or 50 % of leg length) at its mid-point. On dual-task trials, participants completed a simple or complex (cognitive) visual discrimination task presented via an augmented reality headset. Proportional dual-task costs (pDTCs) were measured on cognitive and gait outcomes over three phases: pre-obstacle, obstacle step-over, and post-obstacle. RESULTS: During the obstacle step-over phase, both groups increased their leading leg clearance when dual-tasking, while the DCD group had larger pDTC than TD for the high obstacle under simple stimulus conditions (viz simple-high combination). The complex cognitive task produced larger pDTCs than the simple one on leading leg clearance and post-obstacle gait variability. CONCLUSIONS: In general, both DCD and TD groups showed similar pDTCs under complex conditions, while the specific deficit in DCD under the simple-high combination suggests a (default) compensatory strategy during step-over when attention is diverted to a secondary task. Competing cognitive and motor demands during obstacle negotiation present a potential safety risk for children.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104853