The purpose of the present review was to collect and systematically analyze the recent available literature regarding the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving the motor performance of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). A detailed review of the literature published between 2001 and 2011 was conducted using four internationally recognized databases (Cochrane Library, Scopus, PubMed, and DeepDyve), resulting in 11 studies that met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. The attempt to systematize the studies was carried out using the PEDro tool, which is internationally used to assess the methodological quality of research studies.
The specific study was completed in 2013 by A. Magkou, T. Kourtesis, S. Milioti, and N. Diggelidis (Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science; ATEI of Thessaloniki, Department of Physiotherapy; University of Thessaly, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science).
The PEDro scale consists of 11 criteria with two possible responses (yes/no), which assess key aspects of the quality of experimental studies. Criterion 1 relates to external validity, Criteria 2–9 to internal validity, and Criteria 10–11 provide information regarding statistical analysis. The results showed that the majority of the interventions (5/11) were based on skill-oriented approaches and used individual sessions (5/11). Regarding the dependent variables examined, 10/11 studies investigated outcomes related to motor coordination and the effectiveness of interventions on motor skills, 10/11 examined balance, and 8/11 reported on object-control skills, primarily ball-related skills.
The review concluded that any intervention targeting the motor performance of a child with DCD is better than no intervention at all and that treatment planning requires consideration of research findings and the processing of information in relation to the child’s individual needs, combined with the professional clinical judgment of the practitioner.