Emotional and behavioural problems in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Exploring parent and teacher reports.
BACKGROUND
Although characterised by motor impairments, children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) also show high rates of psychopathology (anxiety, depression, low self-esteem). Such findings have led to calls for the screening of mental health problems in this group.


AIMS
To investigate patterns and profiles of emotional and behavioural problems in children with and without DCD, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).


METHODS AND PROCEDURES
Teachers and parents completed SDQs for 30 children with DCD (7-10 years). Teacher ratings on the SDQ were also obtained from two typically-developing (TD) groups: 35 children matched for chronological age, and 29 younger children (4-7 years) matched by motor ability.


OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
Group and individual analyses compared parent and teacher SDQ scores for children with DCD. Teacher reports showed that children with DCD displayed higher rates of emotional and behavioural problems (overall, and on each subscale of the SDQ) relative to their TD peers. No differences were observed between the two TD groups. Inspection of individual data points highlighted variability in the SDQ scores of the DCD group (across both teacher and parent ratings), with suggestions of elevated hyperactivity but comparably lower levels of conduct problems across this sample. Modest agreement was found between teacher and parent ratings of children with DCD on the SDQ.


CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
There is a need to monitor levels of emotional and behavioural problems in children with DCD, from multiple informants.
['Crane|Laura|L|', 'Sumner|Emma|E|', 'Hill|Elisabeth L|EL|']
D001007:Anxiety D002648:Child D003863:Depression D004644:Emotions D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D019957:Motor Skills Disorders D010290:Parents D000066553:Problem Behavior D000070777:School Teachers D012649:Self Concept
Motor impairment Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Hyperactivity Emotional symptoms