Effect of Eight Weeks of Perceptual-Motor Training on Working Memory in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders

Memory plays an important role in Psychology and is inseparable from simple to difficult tasks involved in any cognitive task. The present research aimed to examine the effects of an eight-week perceptual-motor training program on working memory in 8-12 year-old children with Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD).
A total of 20 children with DCD were selected from DCD students of exceptional schools in Kermanshah city and randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control. The perceptual-motor training protocol consisted of eight weeks, three sessions per week, and 50 minutes for each session. Working memory was measured using the working memory software standard test.
After making sure about normality of distribution using klomogrov-smirnov test, the data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests for comparing within and between group effects. There was a significant improvement from pretest to posttests in the experimental group regarding the working memory (p=0/001). Moreover, the findings showed that experimental group was significantly better than control group in working memory (p=0/002).
According to the present study, perceptual-motor training program improves working memory functions in children with DCD.