Prevalence of suspected developmental coordination disorder and associated factors in Spanish classrooms.
One in eight mainstream Spanish pupils screen positive for suspected DCD, and low after-school exercise is the strongest warning sign.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Delgado-Lobete et al. (2019) asked teachers to flag clumsy pupils in regular Spanish schools. They then checked those children with a short motor test.
The team wanted to know how many kids might have developmental coordination disorder, or DCD. They also looked at age, sex, and after-school sports.
What they found
About one in every eight pupils screened positive for suspected DCD. Boys older than ten with little free-time exercise were the most likely group.
Low physical activity outside school was the clearest red flag, even more than grades or income.
How this fits with other research
Harrowell et al. (2018) followed similar Spanish pupils into high school. The same motor-clumsy kids earned only two GCSEs on average, while peers earned seven. Laura’s count helps explain where those struggling teens come from.
Lee et al. (2024) surveyed parents of children with DCD. They reported heavy family stress and poor peer relationships. Laura’s 12 % figure shows the size of this hidden burden in ordinary classes.
McGonigle et al. (2014) used activity watches and found children with DCD really do move less in free play. Laura linked low sport time to risk, so the survey data and motion data now match.
Why it matters
If you work in schools, expect at least one clumsy, low-activity child in every ten. Quick motor screening plus a push toward playground or sports clubs can head off later academic and social gaps.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a multifactorial, neurodevelopmental motor disorder that severely affects the activities of a child's daily life and classroom performance. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of suspected DCD in a sample of Spanish schoolchildren and its association with socio-demographic factors. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study including a random sample of 460 children attending mainstream schools in northwest Spain in 2017. A Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-European Spanish was used to evaluate suspected DCD prevalence. We performed multivariate logistic and linear regression analysis to determine the socio-demographic variables associated with suspected DCD and problematic motor coordination performance. RESULTS: The prevalence of suspected DCD was 12.2%. According to the multivariate analysis, DCD symptoms were significantly associated with males (OR = 3.0), ages above 10 years old (OR = 5.0) and low participation in out-of-school physical activities (OR = 2.3). Preterm birth children were twice as likely to show suspected DCD, although this association was not statistically significant (OR = 2.1). CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of Spanish schoolchildren are at risk for developing DCD. There is a strong connection between suspected DCD and socio-demographic factors. Protocols aimed to detect DCD and intervention programmes in classrooms designed to promote motor coordination skills need to take these factors into consideration.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2019 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2019.01.004