The impact of developmental coordination disorder on educational achievement in secondary school.
Teens with DCD pass only two GCSEs on average, so catch them early and plan accommodations before the gap grows.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Ian and colleagues tracked 71 teenagers with developmental coordination disorder through British secondary school. They counted how many GCSE exams each student passed and compared the total to a matched group without motor delays.
The team also checked whether reading, attention, or social problems stacked on top of the motor issues.
What they found
Kids with DCD earned a median of only 2 GCSEs. Their classmates without DCD earned 7.
When reading or attention problems rode along, the DCD group sometimes passed zero exams.
How this fits with other research
Rihtman et al. (2011) built the Little DCDQ for 3- to young learners. Ian’s teens are the same kids, just older, so the questionnaire gives you an early warning tool before the academic gap widens.
Crossman et al. (2018) watched 8- to young learners with DCD miss catch after catch because their eyes moved too slowly. The new study shows those early visuomotor gaps snowball into failed exams in high school.
Bremer et al. (2020) found that weak divided attention hurts math in every diagnosis. Ian adds DCD to that list: attention plus motor problems equals the steepest GCSE drop.
Why it matters
Screen for DCD in Year 7 or earlier with the Little DCDQ. Flag co-occurring reading and attention issues. Then request extra time, a laptop, or reduced writing loads before coursework piles up. Early accommodations can turn the 2-GCSE median into something closer to 7.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a common developmental disorder but its long term impact on health and education are poorly understood. AIM: To assess the impact of DCD diagnosed at 7 years, and co-occurring developmental difficulties, on educational achievement at 16 years. METHODS: A prospective cohort study using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). National General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exam results and Special Educational Needs provision were compared for adolescents with DCD (n=284) and controls (n=5425). RESULTS: Adolescents with DCD achieved a median of 2 GCSEs whilst controls achieved a median of 7 GCSEs. Compared to controls, adolescents with DCD were much less likely to achieve 5 or more GCSEs in secondary school (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.21-0.34), even after adjustment for gender, socio-economic status and IQ (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.44-0.81). Those with DCD were more likely to have persistent difficulties with reading, social communication and hyperactivity/inattention, which all affected educational achievement. Nearly 40% of adolescents with DCD were not in receipt of additional formal support during school. CONCLUSIONS: DCD has a significant impact on educational achievement and therefore life chances. Co-occurring problems with reading skills, social communication difficulties and hyperactivity/inattention are common and contribute to educational difficulties. Greater understanding of DCD among educational and medical professionals and policy makers is crucial to improve the support provided for these individuals.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2018 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.014