The Effects of Selected Training Exercises on Balance Performance, Physical Self-Concept and Self-Esteem of Primary School Male Students with Developmental Coordination Disorders

Introduction: Psychomotor issues can lead to the exclusion of children with disabilities from sports and daily activities. Then, it is imperative to implement movement programs aimed at improving psychomotor skills.
Objective: The objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the impact of specific training exercises on the balance performance, physical self-concept, and self-esteem of primary school male students diagnosed with developmental coordination disorders (DCD).
Methods: This research employed an experimental design. A total of 40 primary school male students with DCD were chosen through purposeful sampling method and randomly allocated to either the intervention or control groups (n=20 students). Training phase included 16 sessions of the designated exercise program. The modified stork test and the tandem walking test, Self-Concept Questionnaire Form 5, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were used for measuring balance performance, self-concept and self-esteem, respectively. Analysis of covariance was used for data analysis.
Results: There were no significant differences observed when comparing the groups in terms of demographic variables (P>0.05). There was a significant difference between the means of static and dynamic balance, physical self-concept and self-esteem in the pre-test and post-test results for the intervention group (P<0.001), indicating an improvement in the scores of the subjects in the intervention group after the application of the designated training exercises, in comparison to the pre-test results.
Conclusion: Children experiencing DCD can advance their motor skills in alignment with appropriate timing and circumstances by effectively managing and regulating their actions and behaviors, thereby facilitating social interactions.