Impact of play-based intervention and parental support on motor skills, behavioral problems, and parenting stress in Japanese children with probable developmental coordination disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aim: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is associated with motor impairments, behavioral and emotional challenges, and elevated parenting stress. While motor-skill training is an effective intervention for DCD, its impact on psychosocial effects remains uncertain. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of combined motor-skill training and direct parental support-based intervention in reducing behavioral problems and parenting stress in Japanese children with probable DCD (pDCD). Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 20 children aged 6–15 years who met the diagnostic criteria for pDCD. Group comparisons were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test for non-normally distributed data. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group (n = 10/group). The intervention group received weekly 90-min sessions over 8 weeks, including task-oriented motor training, social skills development, and parental support. Primary outcome measures included the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition, Child Behavior Checklist, and the Parenting Stress Index-Child Domain. Results: No significant improvements in motor function were observed in either group. However, a significant reduction in both behavioral problems and parenting stress was observed in the intervention group, whereas no statistically significant changes were observed in the control group. Conclusion: The integrated intervention may help reduce parenting stress and alleviate behavioral challenges in children with pDCD. These results highlight the importance of multidimensional support strategies that address both child and parental needs.