Participation patterns of school-aged children with and without DCD.
Kids with DCD pick quieter, solo after-school activities and join in less often—check participation diversity, not just motor scores.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Jarus et al. (2011) watched how kids with and without DCD spend free time after school.
They counted how many clubs, sports, and play dates each child joined.
All kids were early-elementary age; no one got an intervention.
What they found
Children with DCD joined fewer activities and picked quieter, solo ones.
They still said they enjoyed the activities, but variety was low.
Motor scores alone missed this social gap.
How this fits with other research
Izadi-Najafabadi et al. (2019) saw the same smaller activity list in home, school, and community settings.
Kumar et al. (2025) pooled quality-of-life studies and found parents notice bigger social hits than kids, matching Tal’s enjoyment data.
Peng et al. (2026) show exercise programs can boost motor skills, but Tal’s kids still avoided active play—hinting motor gains don’t automatically widen participation.
Why it matters
Check both the child’s joy and the parent’s worry. Ask, “What did you do after school this week?” If the list is short or solo, add peer supports, adapted gear, or visual schedules before you run more motor drills. Participation diversity is its own goal.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
UNLABELLED: Participation is recognized as a key to one's health and well-being and is considered to be a vital part of the development of children and youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the participation patterns of children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in their out-of-school-time (OST) activities, and to see whether there is a relationship between the children's motor abilities and their choices and participation. METHODS: 50 children (5-7 years old), 25 who met diagnostic criteria of DCD and 25 without DCD, completed the Children Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) and were administered the Motor Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) and the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI). RESULTS: A relationship was found between participation patterns and motor ability. Children with DCD had limited participation diversity in which they participated less frequently, and chose activities that were quieter and more socially isolated compared to children without DCD; there were no differences in their levels of enjoyment. CONCLUSIONS: The present study emphasizes the importance of looking at the children's participation from a broad perspective, and the many difficulties children with DCD experience in OST participation. Future studies might consider other factors (e.g., environment) while examining participation among children with DCD.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2011 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.01.033