Psychosocial adjustment and attention in children with developmental coordination disorder using different motor tests.

Chen et al. (2009) gave two motor tests to the same group of Canadian children with coordination problems. One test was the BOTMP. The other was the MABC.

They also asked parents and teachers to fill out behavior checklists. The goal was to see if each test pointed to different social or emotional risks.

Kids who failed the BOTMP were more often described as withdrawn or shy. Most of these kids were girls.

Kids who failed the MABC were rated as withdrawn plus inattentive, but also less aggressive. The two tests did not pick the same children.

Bottom line: the test you choose shapes the red flags you see.

Later work keeps showing the same split. Fransen et al. (2014) compared BOT-2 and KTK in typical kids and again found that each test captures only part of the motor picture.

Leung et al. (2014), Bakke et al. (2017), and Hua et al. (2013) all extended the MABC family into new languages and special populations. Each study kept the MABC’s link to attention problems, matching Yu-Wei’s finding.

Wuang et al. (2009) trimmed the BOT-2 to a 36-item version that works better for kids with intellectual disability. The BOT family still works, but you need the right form for the child in front of you.

If you screen for DCD, pick the tool that matches the referral concern. Use the MABC when parents or teachers mention attention issues. Use the BOTMP (or the newer BOT-2 Short Form) when the worry is social withdrawal. One test is not enough; let the risk profile guide you.