Exergaming for children with probable developmental coordination disorder (p-DCD)/DCD

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese.
 The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of exergaming for improving balance, eye–hand coordination (EHC), and exercise enjoyment among children with special educational needs (SEN) and probable developmental coordination disorder (p-DCD). This study adopted a single-group intervention with paired results. Nine primary school students (seven boys and two girls, aged 7–10 years) were recruited and underwent a 3-month exergaming intervention involving three 30-minute sessions per week. Xbox One Kinect was used under the supervision of the researchers and physical education (PE) teachers. Pre- and post-intervention scores were calculated for data analysis. Motor performance was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition Test. The participants’ gaming experiences were captured using Fun Toolkit. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed significant improvements in balance and EHC, but no significant differences in enjoyment scores. The findings indicated a positive impact of exergaming on primary school students with SEN and motor problems. The outcomes indicate that exergaming is an effective strategy for improving motor skills in children with SEN and p-DCD/DCD. Therefore, exergaming could be incorporated into PE curricula to motivate students to participate in physical activities in order to improve their physical health and well-being.
 本研究探討虛擬遊戲對改善有特殊教育需要（SEN）和（潛在）發育協調障礙的兒童的平衡、眼手協調和享受運動的功效。九名小學生參加為期三個月，每週三次30分鐘的訓練。訓練前後的遊戲分數、運動表現和遊戲體驗都被分析。研究結果顯示平衡力和眼手協調顯著地改善，但享受度沒有明顯差異。這說明虛擬遊戲對有SEN和動作協調問題的小學生有積極影響，改善運動技能。因此，將這納入體育課程，可鼓勵學生參加體能活動，改善身心健康。