The nature of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in a selected group of Singaporean children (n = 69) aged 6-9 years was investigated by two methods: an intergroup comparison of children with DCD and matched controls (n = 69), and an intragroup study on the same children with DCD in the search for subtypes within this group. The results from the two approaches demonstrate that while the children with DCD are clearly different from the control subjects, the difficulties seen within the DCD group are not common to all the children. Four identifiable subtypes were found within the children with DCD. This more specific information gained about the difficulties children with DCD experience is not easily established from the intergroup analysis, suggesting that the design of future intervention studies should incorporate differences found in subtypes of children with DCD.

SUMMARY The prevalence of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) among 6‐ to 9‐ year‐old Singaporean primary school children was studied from a random sample (N=427) through a two‐step identification procedure contained within Henderson's and Sugden's Movement Assessment Battery for Children. The prevalence rate from this two step procedure was 4% when the first step included the bottom 15% of the random sample. The two‐step procedure moves towards fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for DCD set out by the American Psychiatric Association (DSM‐IV) and the World Health Organisation (ICD‐10) of a serious motor impairment in the development of motor coordination and significant interference with the activities of daily living not due in children to mental retardation or a known physical disability. RÉSUMÉ Procédure en deux étapes pour identifier les enfants avec trouble développemental de la coordination, utilisée à Singapour La prévalence d'un trouble développemental de la coordination (DCD) parmi les enfants de 6 à 9 ans des écoles primaires de Singapour a été etudtée à partir d'un échantillon tire au hasard (N=427) par une procédure d'identification en deux étapes tirée de la Movement Assessment Battery for Children de Henderson et Sugden. Le taux de prévalence avec cette procédure en deux étapes a été de 4% lorsque la première étape incluait le seuil de 15% de l'échantillon de hasard. La procédure en deux étapes suivait les critères diagnostiques de DCD etablis par 1'American Psychiatric Association (DSM IV) et par l'OMS (ICD‐10) pour une atteinte motrice sérieuse dans le développement de la coordination et une intérference significative avec les activités de la vie joumalière, non due à un retard mental chez I'enfant ou a une incapacité physique connue. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Zwei Stufen Verfahren zur Identifizierttng von Kindern mil entwicklungsbedingien Koordinationsstöningen in Singapur Die Autoren untersuchten die Häufigkeit von entwicklungsbedingten Coordinatiönsstorungen (DCD) in einer randomisierten Gruppe von 6‐ bis 9‐jahrigen Grundschulkindem (N=427) in Singapur mil einem zwei Stufen Verfahren, das in der Movement Assessment Battery für Kinder Henderson and Sugden enthalten ist. Nach diesem zwei Stufen Verfahren betrug die Häufigkeit 4%, wenn die erste Stufe die unteren 15% der randomisierten Gruppe einschloß. Das zwei Stufen Verfahren versucht, die diagnostischen Kritcrien für DCD, herausgegeben von der amerikanischen Psychiatriegesellschaft (DSM‐IV) und der Weltgesundhcitsorganisation (ICD‐10), zu erfüllen, die eine schwerc motorische Stöning in der Entwicklung der motorischen Koordination und eine signifikante Bceinträchtigung der Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens der Kinder, die nicht durch geistige Rctardierung oder eine bekanntc korperliche Bchindcrung bedingt ist, bezeichnen. RESUMEN Método en dos liempos para la identificatión de niños con alteraciones en el desarrollo de la coordinación de Singapore Se cstudió la prevalencia de la alteración del desarrollo de la coordinación (ADC) en niños de escuel...

This investigation is concerned with the identification and assessment of Singaporean primary school children who have developmental coordination disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1987). The present study forms part of a larger project concerned with the suitability of currently available assessment techniques and intervention programs for use in Singapore. In this paper the usefulness of the Movement ABC Checklist and Test as an assessment instrument is explored. The data on a sample of 212 7- and 8-year-olds compared favorably with data from the standardized sample in the United Kingdom. Age and gender differences were similar, and the effects of increasing task difficulty within the checklist were generally confirmed. The checklist identified 15.6% of children as having movement problems or being at risk, which was close to the value obtained in the U.K. The Movement ABC Test provided evidence of the validity of this figure as it successfully differentiated the selected children from age-matched controls who scored well on the checklist. Although some of the items in both instruments need modification, the results suggest that the Movement ABC package is a workable research tool in the Singaporean context.

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