Rehabilitation and Health Promotion Research Group

Recent publications

• Baker, S. & Christian, M. (2020). An exploratory study to investigate alcohol consumption among breast-feeding mothers. Public Health Nutrition. pp. 1-7.
• Green, M., Baker, S., Smith, N., and Laver Fawcett, A.(2022) Supporting Health Improvement in North Yorkshire: Research Needs, Barriers, and Challenges of Local Authority Staff. Project Report. York St John University.
• Hodgson, P., Jordan, A., Sinani, C., Charura, D. & Orange, S. (2024). The relationship between physical function and psychological symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease. A Systematic review and meta-analysis. CNS, Neuroscience and Therapeutics. doi: 1111/cns.14562
• Sinani, C., Henderson, , Yeo, S-H., Vaugh, R., Punt, D. (2023). Implicit motor sequence learning in adults with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-023-00327-4
• Sinani, C., Angilley, H., & Chambers, M.E. (2020). Effects of a school intervention program delivered in children with movement difficulties with minimal specialist support. A feasibility study. Physiotherapy, 107(1), E209-E210.

Conference presentations

• De Roubaix, A., Zwicker, J., Tamplain, P., Sinani, C., Wilmut, K., Licari M. (June, 2024). Symposium in ‘A cross-country comparison of the impact of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)’. 15^th International DCD and 6^th International Motor Development Conferences, Ghent, Belgium. 
• Green, M., Baker, S., Smith, N., and Laver Fawcett, A.(2022) Supporting Health Improvement in North Yorkshire: Research Needs, Barriers, and Challenges of Local Authority Staff.Poster Presentation. In Celebration of Research (2022). York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
• Hodgson, P., Jordan, A., Sinani, C., Charura, D. (April 2022). Systematic review and meta-analysis of the psycho-physical presentation of those with Parkinson’s disease (Mid-Review Report). Physiotherapy Research Society Annual Conference. Canterbury, UK.
• Hodgson, P., Jordan, A., Sinani, C., Charura, D.(October 2021). Systematic review and meta-analysis of the psycho-physical presentation of those with Parkinson’s disease (Review Protocol). York St John's Annual Research Conference, York, UK
• Sinani, C., Mierzwenski, M., Purcell C., Gentle, J., Wood, G., Williams, J.,  Licari, M.,  & Wilmut, K. (2023, 7-8). The Impact of Developmental Coordination Disorder in the UK (Conference Presentation). DCD-UK 2023, Manchester, UK.

Impact for Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) Study

Learning to walk, talk, eat with utensils, run and play are important skills we acquire during childhood. Unfortunately, for some children, they are not always learnt with ease. When a child does experience significant difficulty which impacts the acquisition of many movement skills and persists over an extended period of time, they are often referred to as having motor planning difficulties, motor dyspraxia, and sometimes a condition medically diagnosed as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

In 2020, an Australian research group carried out one of the largest surveys conducted in the world to identify the challenges experienced by children with DCD and their families. The responses revealed that families experience significant challenges overall and more so for obtaining a diagnosis for their child's movement problems and thereafter receiving support and recognition. Responses from the families also identified the significant impact that DCD has in daily life including the social and emotional aspects of a child's life.

However, we know very little about the challenges and magnitude of the problems experienced by families who have children with DCD in the UK. Following on the Australian study there was a clear need for this survey to be replicated in the UK. Led by Dr Charikleia Sinani, UK researchers and allied health professionals, together in collaboration with Australian researchers in conjunction with DCD UK this project's aims were two-fold: to understand the scale and breadth of issues experienced in DCD, and to identify and prioritise the areas in which children with DCD and their families require support. 

Presentation: DCD UK conference, June 2023

International survey evaluating the impact of developmental coordination disorder in adults.

Research team: Sinani, C. (Health Sciences, YSJ), Williams, J. (Institute of Health and Sport, Victoria University, Australia), Charura, D. (Psychology, YSJ), Purcell, C. (Occupational Therapy, Cardiff University), De Roubaix, A. (Ghent University, Belgium), Zwicker, J. (Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Canada), Tamplain, P. Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington, United States of America) & Licari, M. (Telethon Kids Institute, Australia).

The prevalence of psychosocial and emotional symptoms in children with cerebral palsy – a UK based study.

Research team: Sinani, C. (Health Sciences, YSJ), Charura, D. (Psychology, YSJ), Mierzwinski, M. (Sports, YSJ), & Kourtesis, T. (Department of Early Childhood Education, International Hellenic University/Greece).

Profiling in atraumatic or microtraumatic shoulder instability - a pilot study.

Research team: Sinani, C. (Health Sciences, YSJ), Macintosh, Fi (Physiotherapy, YSJ), Tweedle, R. (York and Scarborough, NHS), Wragg, M. (York and Scarborough, NHS) & Jordan, A. (Sports, YSJ).

A systematic review exploring the underlying MRI detected structural and functional differences of individuals diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in comparison to individuals with DCD and one or more co-morbidities.  

Research team: Sinani, C. (Health Sciences, YSJ), Hudson, S. (York and Scarborough, NHS), Macdermott, C., Drury, V., Piersson, A.D. (Imaging, YSJ) & Hyde C. (Deakin University, Australia).

Efficacy of functional strength training compared with progressive strength training in ambulatory children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

Research team: Sinani, C., Loughnane, A. (Health, YSJ), Richards, E. (Health, YSJ), & Ingle, L. (School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Health Science, University of Hull).

The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' (11-18 years) participation, and mental and physical well-being: a scoping review.

Research team: Laver-Fawcett, A. (Occupational Therapy, YSJ), Mesa, S. (Occupational Therapy, YSJ) & Sinani, C. Content validity study for the Child version of the Activity Card Sort – UK (CACS-UK).

National survey evaluating the impact of developmental coordination disorder in Ireland.

Research team: Hynes, P. (Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, University of Limerick), Hodnett, S. (Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, University of Limerick). Tal-Saban, M., & Sinani, C. (Hebrew University, Israel). National Survey Evaluating the Impact of Developmental Coordination Disorder in Israel.

National survey evaluating the impact of developmental coordination disorder in Israel.

Research team: Tal-Saban, M., (Hebrew University, Israel) & Sinani, C. (Health Sciences, YSJ).

Developing an intervention to help nurses improve the assessment and care of the sexual health needs of men with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (MenSH-IBD): a mixed methods study using co-production - RfPB NIHR grant.

Research team: Sara Ma (Health Sciences, YSJ), Paul Galdas (University of York), Peter Knapp (University of York), Mona Kanaan (University of York).

NIHR Undergraduate Internship Programme (R1 2023)

Research team: Frances Butler (Health Services Research Fellow, YSJ), Alexandra Wray (Health Services Research Fellow, YSJ), & Sara Ma (Health Sciences, YSJ).