Self-perceptions in children with probable developmental coordination disorder with and without overweight

•Overweight has an additional negative affect on perceived social acceptance in children with pDCD.•Children with pDCD with and without overweight perceive themselves not different with regard to athletic competence, physical appearance, and global self-esteem.•Children with pDCD perceive themselves lower for athletic competence than typically developing children. Children with probable developmental coordination disorder (pDCD) experience motor problems that negatively influence their self-perceptions and increase the risk to develop overweight due to physical inactivity. Whether overweight in children with pDCD has an additional impact on their self-perceptions is unclear. Insight in this impact would provide vital information for diagnostics and interventions to enhance physical activity in children with pDCD and overweight. Investigate differences in self-perceptions between children with pDCD and overweight (pDCD-O), children with pDCD without overweight (pDCD-NO), and typically developing children (TD). A total of 366 children (188 boys/178 girls), aged between 7 and 13 years, participated in this study. Thirteen children were categorized as pDCD-O, 51 children as pDCD-NO, and 302 children as TD. Self-perceptions were assessed with the Self-Perception Profile for Children. Children with pDCD-O perceived themselves lower in social acceptance than children with pDCD-NO and TD children. Children with pDCD-NO perceived themselves lower in athletic competence than TD children, but not than children with pDCD-O. No differences were found for perceived physical appearance and global self-esteem. Overweight has an additional negative impact on perceived social acceptance in children with pDCD.