Comparing the Effect of Motor and Virtual Games on Motor, Academic, and Social Performances in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Malekzadeh , Sina; Zameni, Leyla

Volume 15 - Articles-1404 MEJDS (2025) 15: 12 | Back to browse issues page

Ethics code: IR.IAU.SARI.REC.1401.070

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Malekzadeh S, Zameni L. Comparing the Effect of Motor and Virtual Games on Motor, Academic, and Social Performances in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. MEJDS 2025; 15 (0) :12-12
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-3249-en.html

Comparing the Effect of Motor and Virtual Games on Motor, Academic, and Social Performances in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Sina Malekzadeh¹

, Leyla Zameni ^*²

1- MSc in Motor Development, Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Sari, Iran
2- Assistant Professor of Motor Behavior Group, Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Sari, Iran

Abstract: (500 Views)

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Developmental coordination disorder refers to children with coordination problems without a neurological disease or specific medical problem; these problems affect their academic and social performance. Many studies have been conducted on the effect of motor programs on the development of basic skills, most of which have focused on the role of traditional intervention programs on the development of basic skills in these children. Today, research has moved towards new technological methods and has provided a way for educators and occupational therapists for children with and without disorders. Wii Fit is an example of this type of game, a Microsoft product. The findings show that due to the educational and enjoyable way of Wii Fit exercises, they can be used as a suitable intervention to improve children's movement skills, which may improve the academic and social levels of these children. This study compared the effect of motor and virtual games on motor, educational, and social performance of children with developmental coordination disorder.
Methods: The current research was quasi–experimental. The statistical population of the present study comprised 7–10 years boys with developmental coordination disorder living in Ardabil City, Iran. A total of 30 eligible children were included in the study and were randomly divided into three groups: movement, virtual, and control (10 children in each group). After completing the written consent form, the children were administered a pretest of motor, academic, and social performance. Motor and virtual game groups underwent intervention for 8 weeks, 2 sessions per week. No intervention was applied to the control group in these 8 weeks. Then, the posttest of the mentioned variables was taken. To ensure that these individuals had developmental coordination disorder, screening tools, including the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) (Wilson et al., 2009) and the Motor Observation Questionnaire for Teachers (MOQ–T) (Schoemaker et al., 2008), were used. To measure motor performance, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children–2 (MABC–2) (Henderson et al., 2007), for academic performance, the average grades of Persian, Math, Science, and Spelling exams of the subjects, and for social performance, the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) (Gresham & Elliott, 1990) were used. After collecting the raw data, descriptive statistics were used to calculate the mean and standard deviation of the data. Covariance analysis and Bonferroni post hoc test were used for data analysis. The significance level for all subjects was 0.05. SPSS version 24 software was used for data analysis.
Results: The results of covariance analysis showed a significant difference between the motor, academic, and social performance scores in the posttest after removing the pretest among the three groups (p<0.001). The results of the Bonferroni post hoc test showed a significant difference between the mean score of motor performance of the control group with motor (p <0.001) and virtual (p =0.012) groups, and also between the motor and virtual groups in this variable (p <0.001). The mean motor performance score after the intervention in the motor group was significantly higher. There was a significant difference between the mean score of academic performance of the control group and the motor (p <0.001) and virtual (p <0.001) groups, as well as between the motor and virtual groups (p <0.001). Thus, the mean academic performance score after the intervention in the virtual group was significantly higher. There was a difference in this variable between the mean score of social performance of the control group and the motor (p <0.001) and virtual (p <0.001) groups, as well as between the motor and virtual groups (p <0.001). Therefore, the mean motor performance score after the intervention in the motor group was significantly higher.
Conclusion: According to the findings, motor games improve motor and social performance values, and virtual games improve academic performance values. These games are suggested to be used as cheap, accessible, and applicable methods in schools and educational and rehabilitation environments to obtain optimal motor, academic, and social performance.

Keywords: Virtual game, Motor game, Academic performance, Motor performance, Social performance

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Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Rehabilitation

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