School of Health & Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
School of Health & Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
Hum Mov Sci. 2020 Jun;71:102620. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2020.102620. Epub 2020 Apr 15.
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) exhibit deficits both in imitation and motor imagery (MI) compared to typically developing children. Combined action observation and motor imagery (AO + MI) instructions can however enhance automatic imitation in both groups. In the present study we investigated the effects of AO + MI instructions on intentional imitation in children both with (n = 13) and without DCD (n = 12). On each trial participants observed and/or imagined before executing a familiar rhythmical pantomime action. These target actions were either habitually fast (tooth brushing or window wiping) or habitually slow (paint brushing or face washing), in the vertical or horizontal plane. Within each habitual speed, the target action speed was subtly manipulated across trials (fast vs. slow). Instruction condition was manipulated across three blocks of 16 trials: (1) observe before imitating the target action; (2) observe then imagine the action before imitating; (3) observe while imagining the same action before imitating (AO + MI). Kinematic analyses revealed typically developing children imitated the observed cycle times significantly better than children with DCD. A main effect of instruction showed imitation improved for AO + MI compared to the other two instructions. Within-group analyses found a significant advantage in DCD for AO + MI compared to observe then imagine. In typically developing children, imitation was significantly enhanced for AO + MI compared to observe then imitate. Combined AO + MI instructions therefore represent a promising new approach to refining performance of everyday rhythmical actions in children both with and without DCD, with implications for movement therapy and sports training.
患有发育性协调障碍（DCD）的儿童在模仿和运动意象（MI）方面都表现出缺陷，与正常发育的儿童相比。然而，结合动作观察和运动意象（AO+MI）指令可以增强两组的自动模仿。在本研究中，我们调查了 AO+MI 指令对有（n=13）和无 DCD（n=12）儿童的意图模仿的影响。在每次试验中，参与者在执行熟悉的节奏性哑剧动作之前观察和/或想象。这些目标动作要么是习惯性的快（刷牙或擦窗户），要么是习惯性的慢（刷油漆或洗脸），在垂直或水平平面上。在每个习惯性速度内，目标动作速度在试验中微妙地变化（快与慢）。指令条件在三个 16 次试验的块中进行了操纵：（1）在模仿目标动作之前观察；（2）观察后再想象动作，然后模仿；（3）在模仿之前同时观察和想象相同的动作（AO+MI）。运动学分析显示，正常发育的儿童模仿观察到的循环时间明显优于 DCD 儿童。指令的主要效果表明，与其他两种指令相比，AO+MI 的模仿得到了改善。组内分析发现，与观察后想象相比，AO+MI 对 DCD 有显著优势。在正常发育的儿童中，与观察后模仿相比，AO+MI 显著增强了模仿。因此，结合 AO+MI 指令代表了一种有前途的新方法，可以提高患有和不患有 DCD 的儿童日常节奏性动作的表现，对运动疗法和运动训练具有重要意义。
