Anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics of Korean adults with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD)

Abstract

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia, is characterized by movement difficulties in individuals without discernible neurological disorders or identifiable medical conditions. Previous studies from various countries have highlighted disparities in anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics between children diagnosed with DCD and their typically developing (TD) peers. These differences are influenced by sociocultural norms and geographical locations. However, little attention has been given to scrutinizing analogous differences in adult populations, particularly within Republic of Korea. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by employing a battery of questionnaires to assess anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological traits in a cohort of 377 Korean adults, encompassing those with DCD (n = 54) alongside TD counterparts (n = 323). It was hypothesized that Korean adults with DCD would exhibit higher body mass index and lower ratings in physical activity and psychological characteristics than TD, consistent with the previous studies performed in other countries on children. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the DCD and TD groups in anthropometric characteristics such as weight (kg), height (cm), and body mass index. The prevalence of walking and biking for daily commuting in daily routines within Korean society might have contributed to the mitigation of anthropometric among individuals with/without DCD. Statistically significant differences were found in physical activity levels at work and recreational settings, as shown in physical activity scores and duration. The DCD group also displayed lower scores across several psychological characteristics, including exercise adherence, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, physical self-concept, exercise expectations, and intrinsic regulation. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating sociocultural dynamics when investigating anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics in adults with DCD. Their perceived difficulties in fine motor skills were also significantly poor than TD. Future research studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving the observed patterns in this study, thus contributing to a more nuanced comprehension of how DCD manifests within specific sociocultural contexts.

Keywords: GPAQ; adults; developmental coordination disorder; dyspraxia; physical activity; psychological characteristics.