title: Light finger contact concurrently reduces postural sway and enhances signal detection performance in children with developmental coordination disorder.
abstract: The current study examined the effects of light finger touch on postural sway and signal detection performance in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Children with DCD (n=30; 18 boys, 12 girls; age=11.87 ± 0.48 years) and typically developing children (n=30; 14 boys, 16 girls; age=11.73 ± 0.52 years) were recruited from schools in Pintung County, Taiwan. Participants completed a signal detection task under no finger touch (NT) and light finger touch (LT) conditions, while postural sway in both anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) axes was recorded. In both conditions, children with DCD exhibited significantly higher levels of postural sway (p<0.05) and lower signal detection performances (p<0.05) than TDC. Additionally, both groups significantly reduced postural sway (p<0.05) and enhanced signal detection performance (p<0.05) when engaged in light finger touch compared with no finger touch. While the effect of LT on postural sway was greater among TDC relative to children with DCD (p<0.05), the effect of LT on signal detection was greater in children with DCD compared with TDC (p<0.05). These results suggest that light finger touch is effective in concurrently reducing postural sway and enhancing signal detection in both groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Recreational Sport & Health Promotion, National Pingtung University of Science & Technology, Taiwan. Electronic address: fcchen@mail.npust.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Fu-Chen
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Education, Health & Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. Electronic address: andytsai@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chia-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D013624:Taiwan; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Developmental coordination disorder; Light finger contact; Postural sway; Signal detection performance