The functional profile of young adults with suspected Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).
Motor problems in DCD still hurt handwriting, school work, mood, and daily tasks well into the twenties.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Tal-Saban et al. (2012) asked how young adults with suspected DCD function in daily life. They compared a group with motor coordination problems to a control group without such problems.
The team used questionnaires and checklists to measure academic skills, non-academic tasks, and emotional well-being.
What they found
The DCD group scored lower on almost every measure. Handwriting was especially weak, and emotional health was worse.
The more severe the motor problems, the bigger the daily-life gaps.
How this fits with other research
Khairati et al. (2024) extends these findings downward. Their interviews with teens show the same daily-life struggles, proving the impact starts early and lasts.
Kumar et al. (2025) pools child studies and also finds lower quality of life. Parents in that meta-analysis report bigger social and school impacts than the kids do, matching Miri’s broad negative picture.
Jarus et al. (2011) zooms in on one slice of adult life: driving. Like Miri, they show young adults with DCD make more errors and react slower, giving a concrete example of the wider functional deficits.
Why it matters
If you work with teens or adults who have clumsy movement, look beyond motor goals. Add handwriting practice, emotional check-ins, and peer-support plans. These clients likely still need accommodations for school, work, and community life.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
We assessed the non-academic and academic functioning of young adults with DCD, and investigated the emotional influences and the role of strategy use within this population. A random sample of 2379 adolescents and young adults aged 19-25 (1081 males [45.4%]; mean age=20.68, SD=3.42) was used to develop the instruments. From this sample, three study groups were identified (n=429) based on the Adolescents & Adults Coordination Questionnaire: probable DCD (n=135; 67.2% males), suspected borderline DCD (n=149; 51.4% males) and control (145; 70.5% males). Participants completed the Daily Life Functions Questionnaire (assessing non-academic and academic functioning), the Recent Emotional State Test (assessing feelings resulting from task performance), the Internal Factors Attributed to Success Questionnaire and the Problem Solving Questionnaire to assess strategy and executive strategy use. A MANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between-groups (F[7,422]=16.19; p<.001; η=.197); post hoc analyses revealed differences for all measures (except the Problem Solving Questionnaire), with the probable DCD and suspected borderline DCD groups performing worse than controls. Severity of motor deficits was correlated with all outcomes except strategy use. Logistic regression revealed that non-academic functioning was the most significant predictor of group placement (B=-1.32; p<.001); academic functioning/handwriting was the second most significant predictor (B=0.44; p=.047). Deficits in motor coordination continue into adulthood and have an effect on academic and non-academic function, as well as on the emotional state of the individual.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2012 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2012.06.005