This application requests support for a program of basic and clinical research on Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and sensori-motor learning. The primary objective of this project is to understand how barriers to effective motor learning created by sensori-motor deficits can be overcome to enable children with DCD, and other developmental disorders often co-morbid with DCD, to learn to perform good compliant manual actions and especially, handwriting. The proposed research will involve behavioral studies of sensori-motor learning.
Four specific aims will be studied: (1) learning with assistance;(2) generalization from assisted practice and retention;(3) passive versus active practice;and (4) task specific practice. The research findings will provide a much stronger conceptual and theoretical basis for explaining the problems faced by children with DCD and other co-morbid developmental disorders with origins in sensori-motor deficits. The results from this project will also have important direct clinical implications for design of therapeutic training for children with sensori-motor disorders. Furthermore, the results are anticipated to enable future efforts to pursue the developmental effects of sensori-motor deficits on cognitive function and emotional experience.

Public Health Relevance

The objective of this research project is to understand how barriers to effective motor learning created by sensori-motor deficits in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) can be overcome to enable children with DCD, and developmental disorders often co-morbid with DCD, to learn to perform good drawing movements and handwriting. The results will contribute to a theoretical basis for explaining the problems faced by children with DCD with direct implications for the design of therapeutic training for these children.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HD070832-01
Application #
8216724
Study Section
Motor Function, Speech and Rehabilitation Study Section (MFSR)
Program Officer
Freund, Lisa S
Project Start
2012-02-15
Project End
2015-01-31
Budget Start
2012-02-15
Budget End
2013-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$287,595
Indirect Cost
$100,845
Name
Indiana University Bloomington
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
006046700
City
Bloomington
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
47401
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Wang, Xiaoye Michael; Bingham, Geoffrey P (2016) Progressive reduction versus fixed level of support during training: When less is less. Hum Mov Sci 45:172-81
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Shire, Katy; Hill, Liam et al. (2016) Training compliance control yields improved drawing in 5-11year old children with motor difficulties. Hum Mov Sci 48:171-83
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Wilson, Andrew D; Bingham, Geoffrey P (2015) Transfer of learning between unimanual and bimanual rhythmic movement coordination: transfer is a function of the task dynamic. Exp Brain Res 233:2225-38
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Fath, Aaron J; Watson, Carol A et al. (2015) Training to improve manual control in 7-8 and 10-12 year old children: Training eliminates performance differences between ages. Hum Mov Sci 43:90-9
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Flatters, Ian; Fath, Aaron et al. (2014) Training compliance control yields improvements in drawing as a function of Beery scores. PLoS One 9:e92464
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Casserly, Elizabeth; Mon-Williams, Mark et al. (2013) Active prospective control is required for effective sensorimotor learning. PLoS One 8:e77609
Snapp-Childs, Winona; Mon-Williams, Mark; Bingham, Geoffrey P (2013) A sensorimotor approach to the training of manual actions in children with developmental coordination disorder. J Child Neurol 28:204-12