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NCT Number: NCT07609563

Therapeutic Climbing for Children With DCD

This study looks at whether therapeutic climbing - indoor climbing activities guided by therapists - can help children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

DCD is a condition where children have difficulty with motor skills and participation in everyday activities, and sometimes confidence in physical activities.

The climbing program is based on a problem-solving approach called CO-OP (Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance), in which children learn strategies to achieve goals.

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Key information

Conditions

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) Mental Disorders Motor Skills Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

8 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

Background: Therapeutic climbing, based on the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach, may improve goal performance and satisfaction in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), as well as their motivation and self-efficacy toward physical activity.

Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a CO-OP-based group therapeutic climbing intervention for children with DCD.

Methods: A randomized crossover trial will be conducted with children with DCD. The intervention will consist of a 10-week group-based therapeutic climbing program delivered in an indoor climbing setting. Primary outcomes will include performance and satisfaction related to individualized goals. Secondary outcomes will assess motor skills, self-efficacy, executive functions, motivation toward physical activity, and transfer of learning. Effects of the intervention will be assessed using linear mixed effects models.

Results: It is hypothesized that participants will demonstrate improvements in both primary and secondary outcomes following the intervention.

Conclusions: This study will contribute to the evidence base regarding therapeutic climbing and CO-OP-based interventions for children with DCD, informing future rehabilitation practices.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of DCD by a physician*.
  • Ability to follow instructions, communicate verbally, interact with adults and peers, and use cognitive strategies.
  • Ability to attend all assessment and intervention sessions in Sherbrooke.
  • Ability to understand and speak French.
  • Provision of child assent and parental consent. * If the target sample size (n = 16) is not reached, children with suspected DCD based on the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) (25,26) will also be considered. Eligibility will then require: (1) a score below the 15th percentile on the total motor composite or below the 5th percentile in a domain of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT) (27,28), and (2) the identification of occupational challenges using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (29,30) during the initial assessment.

Exclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of severe behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and/or severe functional limitations.
  • Prior proficiency in climbing or absence of climbing-related goals.

Treatment and study plan

CO-OP-based group therapeutic climbing intervention

Other

The intervention will consist of a 10-week group-based therapeutic climbing program delivered once weekly on Saturday afternoons at an indoor climbing center. Sessions will be delivered by an occupational therapist (OT), two occupational therapy interns, and a certified climbing monitor (hereafter referred to as "intervention providers"). Each 90-minute session will follow the same global structure. The intervention is grounded in the CO-OP approach.

Primary outcomes

  1. Performance related to individualized goals

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intevention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Assess with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (visual analog scale of 1-10)

  2. Satisfaction related to individualized goals

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Assess with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (visual analog scale of 1-10)

  3. Performance related to climbing-specific goals

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Assess with the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS) (visual analog scale of 1-10)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Motor skills

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Third Edition (BOT-3) (standard scores (mean = 50, SD = 10) or scale scores for subtests (mean = 10, SD = 3))

  2. Self-efficacy

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Assess with the French adaptation of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) (5-point Likert scale)

  3. Executive functioning

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Assess with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2) T-scores (mean = 50, SD = 10)

  4. Motivation for physical activity

    Time frame: Baseline (2-3 months before the intervention, pre-intervention (immediatly before the intervention), post-intervention (immediatly after the intervention), follow-up 2-3 months post-intervention

    Assess with the Pictorial Motivation Scale (PMS) for physical activity (3-point scale)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Emmanuelle Jasmin, Ph.D.

CONTACT

[email protected]

1-819-342-0305

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Université de Sherbrooke

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Therapeutic Group Climbing for Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: Randomized Crossover Trial

Acronym: Climbing TDC

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 27, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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