Behavior Analysis With Integrated Visual-Motor Tracking for Developmental Coordination Disorder

Abstract

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a motor learning disability with a prevalence of 5%-6% in school-aged children, which may seriously affect the physical and mental health of affected children. Behavior analysis of children helps explore the mechanism of DCD and develop better diagnosis protocols. In this study, we investigate the behavioral pattern of children with DCD in the gross movement using a visual-motor tracking system. First, visual components of interest are detected and extracted using a series of intelligent algorithms. Then, the kinematic features are defined and calculated to describe the children behavior, including eye movement, body movement, and interacting object trajectory. Finally, statistical analysis is conducted both between groups with different motor coordination abilities and between groups with different task outcomes. The experimental results show that groups of children with different coordination abilities differ significantly both in the duration of eye gaze focusing on the target and in the degree of concentration during aiming, which can serve as behavioral markers to distinguish children with DCD. This finding also provides precise guidance for the interventions for children with DCD. In addition to increasing the amount of time spent on concentrating, we should focus on improving children’s attention levels.

Keywords

• Developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
• behavior analysis
• visual-motor tracking
• behavioral marker
• gross movement