Children with Developmental Coordinating Disorder: relationships and predictors of motor deficits and the current and longitudinal interventional impact

Background: Obesity is increasingly affecting children's health motor development. Purpose: To examine the influence of a Mastery Motivational Climate (MMC) intervention on the daily routine, self-perceptions, Body Mass Index, motor performance, and engagement of children with obesity/overweight and adequate weight with motor delays. Method: Children were randomly assigned to mastery or control group; intervention was provided for 28- weeks. Findings: Significant interactions were found for play and television time, perceived social and motor competence, global self-worth, Body Mass Index, locomotor and object control skills, and non-appropriate engagement (p from .029 to p < .0001). Children with obesity/overweight and adequate weight in the MMC increased the (1) playtime; (2) perceptions of social acceptance, motor competence, and global self-worth; (4) motor performance; and (5) engagement in the lessons; and reduced the Body Mass Index and screen time. Implications: The intervention promoted health and development for children with obesity/overweight; an adequate climate is needed to motivated children to engage.