Judith Gentle

Dr Judith Gentle


Senior lecturer in Psychology
PhD; MRes; BSc (Hons); FHEA
+44 (0)1483 686933
05 AC 05
Student consultation Tuesdays 12-2pm; Personal tutor hour Tuesdays 3-4pm (Teams)

About

Areas of specialism

Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia

University roles and responsibilities

  • Director of Motor Development and Impact (MoDI) Lab

    Research

    Research interests

    Research projects

    Research collaborations

    Supervision

    Postgraduate research supervision

    Postgraduate research supervision

    Teaching

    Publications

    Gentle, J., Shaheen, A., Tunstall, D., Hegarty, P. (2020) Perceptions of Coordinated Movement

    Abstract

    Background: Humans are highly social creatures who use others’ movements to evaluate their social competencies. Smooth movement specifically signals an attractive, trustworthy or competent person. Those with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), have peer relationship difficulties and lower sociometric preference scores. However, the relationship of perception of poor movement coordination to stereotyping has not been directly demonstrated.

    Aim: We aimed to describe typically developing individuals’ social stereotyping of individuals with and without DCD from minimal visual cues.

    Method: 3D motion capture tracked the movement of four ‘targets’ (two adult males with DCD and two male controls) in a variety of everyday scenarios. Kinematic footage of the target’s movements was presented as a point-light-display to 319 typically developing adults who used The Rating Scale of Social Competence to report perceptions of the target’s social competencies.

    Results: Targets with DCD were rated as having significantly lower social competence (M=3.37, SD=0.93) than controls (M=3.46, SD=0.89) t(269) =-5.656; p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = .34.

    Discussion: Humans incorporate minimal information on movement fluency to evaluate others’ social competencies, including individuals with DCD. Such stereotyping may be automatic and may be an ill-understood mechanism sustaining persistent rejection by peers for individuals with DCD and higher rates of loneliness, isolation and mental disorders. In addition, our study expands research on competence-based stereotyping to a new applied domain, confirming the minimal cues needed to initiate stereotyping of the competencies of others.

    Keywords: social competence, perception, coordinated movement, stereotyping, DCD

    Gentle, J, Barnett, A, Wilmut, K (2016) Adaptations to walking on an uneven terrain for individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder

    Given the importance of walking in everyday life, understanding why this is challenging for some populations is particularly important. Studies focusing on gait patterns of individuals with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have shown that whilst increased variability is characteristic of walking patterns for this group, differences in spatio-temporal gait variables seem only to arise when task demands increase. However, these differences occur under rather artificial conditions, for example using a treadmill. The aim of this study, therefore was to examine the step characteristics of individuals with and without
    DCD whilst walking along an irregular terrain. Thirty-five individuals with DCD aged 8–32 years and 35 age and gender-matched controls participated in this study. Participants were divided into 3 age groups; 8–12 years (n = 12), 13–17 years (n = 12) and 18–32 years (n = 11). Participants walked up and down a 6 m walkway for two minutes on two terrains: level and irregular. VICON 3D motion analysis was used to extract measures of foot placement, velocity and angle of the head and trunk. Results showed that both groups adapted their gait to negotiate the irregular terrain, but the DCD group was more affected than their TD peers; walking significantly slower with shorter, wider steps and inclining their head more towards the ground. This suggests an adaptive approach used by individuals with DCD to preserve stability and increase visual sampling whilst negotiating an irregular terrain.

    Wilmut, K., Gentle, J., Barnett, A. (2017) Gait symmetry in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder

    Background: Symmetry between the left and right side of the body during locomotion is key in a coordinated gait cycle and is also thought to be important in terms of efficiency. Although previous studies have identified aspects of the gait cycle which are atypical in children and adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), studies have not considered whether this could be explained by asymmetrical gait. Method and procedure: The current study included 62 participants with and 62 without DCD (aged 7-34 years). Participants were asked to walk continuously for 1 minute up and down a walkway while movement was captured using an optical tracking system. Measures of step length and step time were taken for both the right and the left leg and symmetry ratios were calculated. Results: The DCD group showed significantly higher symmetry ratios for both measures compared to the typically developing (TD) group, with approximately a third of DCD participants falling outside the normative range for symmetry. Furthermore, a relationship was found between movement variability and degree of asymmetry. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate an asymmetry in the gait of individuals with DCD which, despite improving with age, does not reach the same level as that shown by TD individuals.

    Gentle, J., Brady, D., Woodger, N., Croston, S., Leonard, H. (2021) Driving Skills of Individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD/Dyspraxia). Frontiers of Human Neuroscience

    Learning to drive is a significant event for the transition to adulthood and delay or avoidance may have social, practical and psychological implications. For those with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD/Dyspraxia), driving presents a considerable challenge and the literature shows that there are differences in driving ability between individuals with and without DCD. The aim of the current research is to further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the driving experiences of individuals with DCD. Nineteen participants with DCD (10 drivers, 9 non-drivers) and 36 controls (17 drivers, 19 non-drivers) aged 18-57 years took part in this study. Participants completed standardised tests, questionnaires and a driving simulation task designed to measure speed, road positioning and rate of change of steering in three conditions with increasing perceptual complexity. Results indicate that behaviours for all participants changed as the perceptual demands of the task increased. However, drivers with DCD were more affected than all other groups, driving more slowly when negotiating a narrow aperture, and driving further to the right when passing an oncoming car. These findings illustrate how the impact of both internal and external constraints negatively affect the success of the driving task for individuals with DCD compared to their TD peers.

    Mayes, W., Gentle, J., Parisi I., Dixon L., van Velzen José, Violante, I (2021) Top-down Inhibitory Motor Control Is Preserved in Adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder

    Two paradigms were employed to disentangle information processing from executive motor inhibition in adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Choice Reaction and Stop Signal Tasks were compared between 13 adults fulfilling DSM-5 DCD criteria and 42 typically developing adults. Additional analyses included 16 probable DCD (pDCD) participants, who had motor difficulties but did not fulfil DSM-5 criteria. Analyses employed frequentist and Bayesian modeling. While DCD+pDCD showed slower reaction times and difficulty initiating Go responses, no impairments in Stop actions were found. These findings indicated no executive deficit in DCD, suggesting that previous results may be explained by inefficient information processing.

    Morris, B., Ogden, J., Gentle, J. (2021) Experiences of adult siblings of those with developmental coordination disorder (DCD): a qualitative study

    This qualitative study explored the childhood experiences of growing up with a sibling with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) to offer an ‘outsider’s’ view of this condition. Ten individuals who had grown up with a sibling with DCD were interviewed about their experiences. Data were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Analysis described three main themes: i)‘witnessing the challenges for their sibling with DCD’ ii) ‘experiencing the impact on the family’; iii) ‘a vacuum of knowledge’. Not all experiences were negative and transcending these themes was the notion ‘resolution and finding benefit’ highlighting access to support, being more empathic and resilient, becoming a role model for others and finding success. Participants play witness to their sibling’s experiences which can often be negative sometimes impacted by a vacuum of knowledge but they also describe how a diagnosis of DCD comes with some benefits which are discussed in the context of ‘posttraumatic growth’.

    Mayes, W and Gentle, J. (2021) What is developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): A brief summary of key research

    Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia, is a neurodevelopmental disorder identified primarily by difficulties with physical coordination. DCD has an estimated prevalence rate of 5-6%, meaning that at least one child in every class of 30 is likely to be affected (APA, 2013). DCD has an early age of onset and can result in delayed movement milestones such as learning to dress oneself or handle cutlery (Summers, Larkin & Dewey, 2008).