Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and typical development differ in characteristics of dynamic postural control: A preliminary study
Open accessAbstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are developmental disorders with distinct definitions and symptoms. However, both conditions share difficulties with motor skills, including impairments in postural control. While studies have explored postural sway variables in children with DCD and ASD as compared to typical development (TD), few have used kinematic data to assess the magnitude of differences between these two neurodevelopmental conditions. There are few sensitive and specific measures available to assess balance impairment severity in these populations.Research question Do individuals with ASD, DCD, and TD differ in dynamic postural control?Methods We quantified postural control differences between ASD, DCD, and TD during a dynamic balance task. 10 ASD, 10 DCD, and 8 TD agematched children completed a dynamic postural control task in a virtual environment. They leaned to shift their center of pressure (CoP) to match a user-controlled object to an oscillating target (0.1 Hz-0.8 Hz).Results The DCD group had higher CoP accelerations compared to ASD or TD. While the DCD and TD groups did not differ in their medial-lateral velocity, the ASD group had low medial-lateral velocity and acceleration as compared to DCD and TD. ASD group velocity and acceleration did not differ from that of the TD group in the anterior-posterior direction. Higher accelerations in the DCD group reflected non-fluid movements; by contrast, the ASD group had slower, more fluid movements. Results may reflect differences in how children with ASD and DCD plan, execute, and modify motor actions.Significance This study demonstrates the potential utility of CoP acceleration and velocity as a sensitive and specific means of differentiating between ASD, DCD, and TD. Results indicating group differences between ASD and DCD in velocity and acceleration profiles represent an important step toward understanding how these populations modify motor plans during dynamic tasks.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Miller et al. found similar motor control deficits in DCD and ASD, but differences in dynamic balance and movement fluidity.
“Miller et al. [41] found similar motor control deficits in developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and ASD, but differences in dynamic balance and movement fluidity.”
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Williams, J. B. W., & First, M. B. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.104 · Cited by 109,841 · see citing works
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/springerreference_121117 · Cited by 20,769 · see citing works
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Widiger, T. A. (2000) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1037/10518-009 · Cited by 19,767 · see citing works
Baio, J., Wiggins, L., Christensen, D. L., Maenner, M. J., Daniels, J., Warren, Z., Kurzius-Spencer, M., Zahorodny, W., Robinson, C., Rosenberg, et al. (2018) · MMWR. Surveillance Summaries · doi:10.15585/mmwr.ss6706a1 · Cited by 6,078 · see citing works
What Is the Male-to-Female Ratio in Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Loomes, R., Hull, L., & Mandy, W. P. L. (2017) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2017.03.013 · Cited by 2,804 · see citing works
Wilson, P. H., Ruddock, S., Smits-Engelsman, B. C. M., Polatajko, H. J., & Blank, R. (2012) · Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2012.04436.x · Cited by 494 · see citing works
Roberts, T. P. L., Khan, S. Y., Rey, M., Monroe, J. F., Cannon, K. M., Blaskey, L. G., Woldoff, S., Qasmieh, S., Gandal, M., Schmidt, G. L., et al. (2010) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.111 · Cited by 295 · see citing works
Lim, Y. H., Partridge, K., Girdler, S. J., & Morris, S. L. (2017) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3144-y · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Parietal dysfunction in developmental coordination disorder: a functional MRI study
Kashiwagi, M., Iwaki, S., Narumi, Y., et al. (2009) · Neuroreport · doi:10.1097/wnr.0b013e32832f4d87 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Perception-action coupling in the development of visual control of posture.
Bertenthal, B. I., Rose, J. L., & Bai, D. L. (1997) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Performance · doi:10.1037//0096-1523.23.6.1631 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Neural Signature of DCD: A Critical Review of MRI Neuroimaging Studies
Biotteau, M., Chaix, Y., Blais, M., Tallet, J., Péran, P., & Albaret, J. (2016) · Frontiers in Neurology · doi:10.3389/fneur.2016.00227 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Perception–action coupling in the development of visual control of posture.
Bertenthal, B. I., Rose, J. L., & Bai, D. L. (1997) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Performance · doi:10.1037/0096-1523.23.6.1631 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Gender Differences in Postural Stability Among Children
Smith, A. W., Ulmer, F., & Wong, D. P. (2012) · Journal of Human Kinetics · doi:10.2478/v10078-012-0041-5 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
Fong, S. S. M., Tsang, W. W. N., & Ng, G. Y. F. (2012) · Human Movement Science · doi:10.1016/j.humov.2011.11.003 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
White-matter relaxation time and myelin water fraction differences in young adults with autism
Deoni, S., Zinkstok, J., Daly, E., Ecker, C., Williams, S., & Murphy, D. (2014) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291714001858 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Caçola, P. M., Miller, H. L., & Williamson, P. O. (2017) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2017.03.004 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Self-citationParental questions about developmental coordination disorder: A synopsis of current evidence
Missiuna, C. A., Gaines, R., Soucie, H., et al. (2006) · Paediatrics & Child Health · doi:10.1093/pch/11.8.507 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Peripheral vision and age-related differences in dynamic balance
Assaiante, C., & Amblard, B. (1992) · Human Movement Science · doi:10.1016/0167-9457(92)90014-3 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Travers, B. G., Bigler, E. D., Tromp, D., Adluru, N., Destiche, D., Samsin, D., Froehlich, A. L., Prigge, M. B. D., Duffield, T. C., LANGE, N. D., et al. (2015) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2467-9 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Butz, S., Sweeney, J. K., Roberts, P. L., et al. (2015) · Pediatric Physical Therapy · doi:10.1097/pep.0000000000000128 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Injuries Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Jain, A., Spencer, D. L., Yang, W., Kelly, J. P., Newschaffer, C. J., Johnson, J., Marshall, J., Azocar, F., Tabb, L. P., & Dennen, T. (2014) · Academic Pediatrics · doi:10.1016/j.acap.2014.03.012 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Toward a Hybrid Model of Developmental Coordination Disorder
Wilson, P. H., Smits-Engelsman, B. C. M., Caeyenberghs, K., & Steenbergen, B. (2017) · Current Developmental Disorders Reports · doi:10.1007/s40474-017-0115-0 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Miller, H. L., Bugnariu, N., Patterson, R. M., Wijayasinghe, I. B., & Popa, D. O. (2017) · International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation · doi:10.1109/icvr.2017.8007481 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Debue M, Leclef F, Mazzaro M, Vanderveken C, De Siati D, & Deggouj N (2016). Maturation of the postural control in healthy children. Clinical Neurophysiology, 46(4–5), 253.
- Wechsler D (2011). Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence–Second Edition (WASI-II) San Antonio, TX: NCS Pearson.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Motor skills predict adaptive behavior in autistic children and adolescents
Fears, N. E., Palmer, S. A., & Miller, H. L. (2022) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.2708 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Self-citationMartín‐Díaz, P., Cuesta‐Gómez, A., Fernádez‐González, P., & Carratlá‐Tejada, M. (2024) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.3181 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Pettinato, F., Valle, M. S., Cioni, M., Cirnigliaro, L., Rizzo, R., Barone, R., Bosco, G., & Casabona, A. (2024) · Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1186/s12984-024-01520-9 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Martín-Díaz, P., Carratalá-Tejada, M., Navarro-López, V., Fernández-González, P., & Cuesta-Gómez, A. (2026) · European Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1007/s00431-026-06871-0
“[27, 35, 36, 38, 41] Pettinato et al. [27] reported reduced stability and COP complexity in ASD, linked to repetitive behaviours and balance performance.”
- Authors
- Miller, H. L., Caçola, P. M., Sherrod, G. M., Patterson, R. M., & Bugnariu, N. L.
- Affiliations
- University of North Texas Health Science Center (US)
- The University of Texas at Arlington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Miller, Haylie L.
- Venue
- Gait & Posture
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-01
- Volume
- 67
- Pages
- 9-11
- ISSN
- 0966-6362 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6240472
- OpenAlex
- W2890290463
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 8.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Gait & Posture (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Scholarly Commons (University of the Pacific) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (KL2-TR001103, K01-MH107774)
- National Science Foundation (SMA-1514495)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, developmental coordination disorder, dynamic postural control, center of pressure velocity, balance disorders, motor planning, children
- MeSH terms
- Acceleration, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adolescent, Child, Child Development, Postural Balance, Female, Humans, Male, Motor Skills Disorders
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
