Do executive functions and gross motor skills predict writing and mathematical performance in children with developmental coordination disorder?

Aim: To examine whether executive functions, and gross motor skills were predictors for school performance in children with DCD, with risk for DCD (r-DCD), and with typical development (TD). Methods: Participants were 63 children with DCD ( M _age  = 8.70, SD _age  = .64), 31 children with r-DCD ( M _age  = 8.90, SD _age  = 0.74), and 63 typical development children ( M _age  = 8.74, SD _age  = .63). Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2, Test of Gross Motor Development-3, Oral Word Span in Sentences, Odd-One-Out, Go/No-Go, Hayling Test, Trail Making Test, Five Digits Test, and the Test of School Performance-II were utilized. Results: In DCD, processing speed ( β  = -.42, p  = .005), and auditory-motor inhibition ( β  = -.36, p  = .009), and auditory-verbal inhibition ( β  = -.38, p  = .023) predicted math performance; and auditory-motor ( β  = -.40, p  = .38) and visuospatial working memory ( β  = -.33 p  = .011) predicted writing performance. In r-DCD, auditory-motor ( β  = - .67; p  = .002) and visual-motor ( β  = -.40; p  = .040) inhibition predicted math performance; visual-motor inhibition predicted writing performance ( β  = -.47; p  = .015). Conclusion: Lower inhibitory control and visuospatial working memory scores affect children with DCD and r-DCD' school performance.