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We compared the timed performance and compensatory movements of 32 boys (mean age = 10.0 years) with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and 38 healthy boys (mean age = 9.2 years) on 10 -meter walking and four-step stair work (climbing and descending). Dependent measures were digital scores on the Functional Evaluation Scale for DMD obtained by watching the boys on film. Groups were compared initially and after 6 and 12 months, using General Linear Models analysis (for two groups and three assessments). Results showed no significant timed performance differences between groups on 10 -m walking at the initial assessment; but boys with DMD showed longer times after 6 and 12 months, and boys with DMD engaged in more compensatory movements while walking. For stair climbing, boys with DMD were significantly slower than healthy controls when both climbing and descending steps in all assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary .— The influence of educational status on perceptual-motor performance has not been investigated. The single- and dual-task performances of 15 Low educated adults (9 men, 6 women; M age = 24.1 yr.; 6-9 yr. of education) and 15 Higher educated adults (8 men, 7 women; M age = 24.7 yr.; 10-13 yr. of education) were compared. The perceptual task consisted of verbally classifying two figures (equal or different). The motor task consisted of alternating steps from the floor to a stool. Tasks were assessed individually and simultaneously. Two analyses of variance (2 groups × 4 blocks) compared the errors and steps. The Low education group committed more errors and had less improvement on the perceptual task than the High education group. During and after the perceptual-motor task performance, errors increased only in the Low education group. Education correlated to perceptual and motor performance. The Low education group showed more errors and less step alternations on the perceptual-motor task compared to the High education group. This difference on the number of errors was also observed after the dual-task, when the perceptual task was performed alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]