Parental well-being among French parents of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): A Cross-Sectional Study

Acta Psychol (Amst). 2025 Sep 23;260:105610. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105610. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Parents of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) report increased burden, stress, and negative impacts on their mental health. However, there is limited research on the experiences and well-being of French parents raising children with DCD.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate anxiety, depression, and the quality of life of parents of a child with DCD in France.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES: One hundred and eighty participants completed a questionnaire with demographic information and ten self-assessed scales to measure parental anxiety, depression, quality of life, affiliate stigma, perceived stress, perceived social support, coping and emotion regulation strategies, and their child’s behavioral, emotional, and motor coordination difficulties. This cross-sectional study compared clinical scores of mothers of children with DCD to normative data from the general population, and investigated predictors of parental anxiety, depression, and quality of life.

RESULTS: Parents of children with DCD reported significantly higher anxiety and depression levels and lower quality of life compared to the general population. Key predictors of parental anxiety included the severity of the child’s behavioral difficulties, expressive suppression, and parental stress. Depression was predicted by cognitive reappraisal and social support, while quality of life was related with child’s behavioral severity and parental stress.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the critical need for targeted support and interventions for parents of children with DCD in France, highlighting the importance of addressing their psychological distress.

PMID:40991974 | DOI:10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105610