Physical activity leisure-time participation of boys with developmental coordination disorder.

Background: Boys with DCD have lower rates of participation in leisure-time physical activities, which are important developmental contexts for males, than boys without DCD. There is evidence that variable developmental trajectories exist although factors contributing to an optimal childactivity-environment fit are poorly understood Therefore, identifying the processes influencing leisure-time physical activity participation patterns, and the impact that low participation has on subjective quality of life is a clinical and research priority. ldentifying factors and circumstances that promote or inhibit successful adaptation to physical coordination difficulties has potential to contribute to the mental and physical health of boys with DCD. ln this thesis psychological mechanisms influencing leisure-time participation and subjective quality of life were explored with a view to informing an ecological open systems model called SCOPE-IT (Synthesis of Child-, Occupation-, and Environmentin Time), developed to conceptualise the multiple inputs from child-, activityand environment-level factors that contribute to health and well-being. Objectives: The first research priority was to identify mediation processes influencing relationships between physical coordination ability and leisure-time participation. Three psychological process variables were investigated; perceptions of freedom in leisure, self-concept perceptions and dispositional goal motivations. Three quality of life-related outcomes related to subjective quality of life were also explored; global life satisfaction, general self-concept and loneliness. Differences between these variables for boys with and without DCD were compared before mediation processes were investigated as the key research initiative of the thesis. Method: Sixty boys with DCD and 113 boys without DCD completed self-report measures of the psychosocial variables under consideration. Parents completed a retrospective recall of leisure-time behaviour over the previous 12-months and a 7 -day diary for the out-of-school hours. The 7-day diary recorded intensity, duration, content, social and physical context of leisure-time activities. Results of Descriptive Analyses: Boys with DCD had lower mean scores than boys without DCD for perceived freedom in Ieisure and self-concept appraisals for physical ability, physical appearance, peer and parent relations, general self-concept and global life satisfaction. Higher loneliness was reported by boys with severe and moderate DCD than boys without DCD who had medium to high Ieveis of physical coordination.