Correlation Between Executive Function Behaviors and Educational Achievement of Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

Abstract

Background: Developmental cordination disorder (DCD) is a serious deficit in development of motor coordination, which aects educational achievements and daily life activities to a considerable extent. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate correlations between components of executive function and spelling and math performance of 7 - 11-year-old children with DCD. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 53 primary school children with DCD. Persian version of motor observation questionnaire for teachers (PMOQ-T) was used to detect DCD. Executive functions and educational achievements of these children were evaluated using behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF) and a researcher-made test, respec- tively. Results were analyzed through SPSS software (v. 21) and Pearson correlation coecient. Results: The findings showed that components of inhibition (r = -0.27, P < 0.05), working memory (r = -0.44, P < 0.01) and organi- zation of material (r = -0.28, P < 0.05) were significantly correlated with the spelling test. And components of inhibition (r = -0.27, P < 0.05), shift (r = -0.38, P < 0. 01), working memory (r = -0.28, P < 0.05), and planning (r = -.29, P<0.05) were correlated with math test. Conclusions: The results may help clinicians for early intervention and focus on related components of executive function to im- prove the educational performance of DCD children. Knowing that executive function skills are associated with these two achieve- ment domains suggests potentiality of targeted math and spelling interventions for DCD children.