Motor and cognitive performance differences between children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD)

► Children with DCD differed significantly from those without DCD performing lower on all motor and cognitive tasks. ► Early cognitive–motor assessment might identify specific cognitive–motor difficulties. ► Early intervention might prevent some of the developmental comorbidities in the academic and everyday lives of children with DCD. ► Combined with the effectiveness of the PASS theory, this double-sided assessment approach could evaluate children with DCD. ► The evaluation and diagnostic process demands knowledge based on a variety of sources, so that professionals have specific practice guidelines. The current study adopts the PASS theory of information processing to investigate the probable differences in specific motor and cognitive abilities between children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Participants were 108 5- and 6-year-old preschoolers (54 children with DCD and 54 children without DCD). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children assessed motor function. Running speed and agility were measured using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. Finally, the Planning, Attention and Simultaneous Scales from the Das–Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System evaluated cognitive ability. Children with DCD differed significantly from those without DCD performing at a lower level on all motor and cognitive tasks. A correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between cognitive processes and motor skills. Simultaneous cognitive processing and manual dexterity were significantly correlated for both groups. Furthermore, a significant relationship was revealed between planning cognitive processing and balance for the non-DCD group. Thus, early assessment might identify specific cognitive–motor difficulties. Furthermore, early intervention might prevent some of the developmental comorbidities in the academic and everyday lives of children with movement difficulties.