Exploring Motor Coordination And Cognitive Performance In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Insights From Assessment

Abstract

This study focuses on investigating the severity distributions, cognitive and motor coordination performance characteristics and examine the demographic groups among children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

This cross sectional observational study was conducted over six months at A.C.S Medical College and Hospital, Let’s speak Multispecialty and Rehabilitation center, and My First Steps, Pediatric Physiotherapy clinic. The time frame for this study was between June 2025 and November 2025.

A total of 230 children with a diagnosis of ADHD between the ages of 7 and 12 years were included in this study. The cognitive-coordination abilities of each child were measured using the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) and the Trail Making Test (TMT) - Child Modified Version. Each child was categorized according to age, gender, and subtype of ADHD (Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, Combined).

The statistical analysis of the data collected from these cognitive and coordination tests indicated that boys are more affected by coordinate deficits than girls. Children aged between 9 - 10 years are more likely to exhibit poor coordination scores than children of either younger or older ages. Children with Combined subtype of ADHD are more impaired in their cognitive and motor skills compared to those with other subtypes.

This study successfully highlighted the prevalence of and the distribution of cognitive-coordination difficulties among children with ADHD. Thus findings helped to contribute to the knowledge of the developmental skills of children with ADHD, and their potential need for intervention or rehabilitation.