Mental Attention-neuromuscular Training for Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

Improving Mental Attention, Timing of Muscle Activation and Reactive Balance Control in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of EEG biofeedback mental attention-neuromuscular training (AT-NMT), neuromuscular training (NMT) alone, EEG biofeedback mental attention training (AT) alone, and no intervention for improving reactive balance performance among children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Design: A single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial. Sample: 172 children with DCD. Interventions: AT-NMT, NMT, AT, or no intervention for 12 weeks. Major outcomes: Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. A motor control test (MCT) will give a composite latency score, prefrontal cortex EEG recordings during MCT will measure the mental attention level, and surface electromyography recordings during MCT will indicate the lower limb muscle onset latency.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Developmental Coordination Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: EEG biofeedback mental attention-neuromuscular training; Other: Neuromuscular training; Other: EEG biofeedback mental attention training

Detailed Description

Hypothesis: The Investigators hypothesize that the reactive balance performance in children with DCD can be best improved by treating both their mental attention and neuromuscular deficits.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of AT-NMT, NMT alone, AT alone, and no intervention for improving reactive balance performance among children with DCD.

Design: A single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial. Sample: 172 children with DCD. Interventions: AT-NMT, NMT, AT, or no intervention for 12 weeks. Major outcomes: Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. A motor control test (MCT) will give a composite latency score, prefrontal cortex EEG recordings during MCT will measure the mental attention level, and surface electromyography recordings during MCT will indicate the lower limb muscle onset latency.

Anticipated results and clinical significance: Children with DCD who receive AT-NMT will have the best reactive balance performance outcomes. If the results are positive, this novel training regime can be readily adopted in clinical practice. AT-NMT will improve overall well-being in these children and have positive socio-economic implications such as shorter rehabilitation periods and reduced healthcare costs.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 172
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Hong Kong
  • Pokfulam, Hong Kong
    • University of Hong Kong

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 9 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 6 to 9 years old;
2. a formal diagnosis of DCD based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) at a child assessment center;
3. a Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency giving a gross motor composite score of ≤42;
4. a Child Behavior Checklist attention problem subscale T score of ≥54.5, indicating an attention deficit;
5. attending a local mainstream school;
6. an intelligence level within the normal range; and
7. no experience in using the Brain Computer Interface system or similar apparatus.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. a diagnosis of neurological or other movement disorder;
2. any cognitive, psychiatric (comorbid ADHD will not be excluded), congenital, musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary disorder that can affect motor performance;
3. receiving active therapies or treatments including complementary and alternative medicine;
4. demonstrating excessive disruptive behavior; or
5. those unable to follow instructions adequately.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: AT-NMT; AT-NMT group - will receive a 12-week EEG biofeedback mental attention-neuromuscular training	Other: EEG biofeedback mental attention-neuromuscular training; Mental attention training using EEG biofeedback and neuromuscular training using physio-therapeutic exercises
EXPERIMENTAL: NMT alone; NMT group - will receive a 12-week neuromuscular training	Other: Neuromuscular training; Neuromuscular training using physio-therapeutic exercises
EXPERIMENTAL: AT alone; AT group - will receive a 12-week EEG biofeedback mental attention training	Other: EEG biofeedback mental attention training; Mental attention training using EEG biofeedback
NO_INTERVENTION: Control; Control group - no intervention for 12 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in motor control test composite latency score	Baseline (0 month), post-intervention (3 months), and 3-month follow-up (6 months)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in EEG mental attention level	Baseline (0 month), post-intervention (3 months), and 3-month follow-up (6 months)
Change in surface EMG lower limb muscle onset latency	Baseline (0 month), post-intervention (3 months), and 3-month follow-up (6 months)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): July 1, 2017
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): July 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 9, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 23, 2015
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): March 24, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): December 15, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 13, 2015
• Last Verified: December 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Motor Skills Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 17120515