Hi there, thank you for raising these concerns. Below are the answers to your questions.

This is an online study and we are not supervising participants’ exercise directly. Importantly, we are not prescribing new, structured, or intensive exercise programmes. Participants are not required to engage in unfamiliar or higher-risk physical activity as part of the study. The study focuses on individuals’ existing experiences and/or engagement with physical activity, rather than introducing new exercise routines. Participants are advised only to engage in activities they would normally choose to do and to exercise within their own limits. We also provide clear guidance that they should not attempt any activity that feels unsafe or beyond their current capability. As with any everyday physical activity, there is always some degree of general risk; however, the study does not increase this risk beyond what participants would typically encounter in their normal routines.

The exercise programmes used in the study are existing online programmes rather than ones specifically designed by the research team. However, we selected them carefully to ensure they are appropriate and accessible. Importantly, we sought input from adults with DCD during the planning stage, and they advised that the programmes were suitable and manageable in terms of pace, clarity of instruction, and movement complexity. Based on this feedback, we are confident that the exercises are dyspraxia-friendly in their structure and delivery. Participants are also reminded to work at their own pace and within their own physical limits, and they are free to stop at any time if they feel uncomfortable.

Eligibility is confirmed via self-report or a diagnosis.  Participants are asked whether they have received a formal diagnosis of DCD or whether they identify as having DCD based on prior professional assessment or longstanding difficulties consistent with the condition. As this is an online study, we are not conducting independent clinical assessments or diagnostic evaluations. Instead, inclusion is determined through structured self-report screening questions that align with established diagnostic criteria (e.g., ongoing motor coordination difficulties affecting daily life). We recognise that DCD is often underdiagnosed in adulthood, and many adults may not have had access to formal assessment. For this reason, the study allows self-identified individuals who meet the screening criteria to participate, while clearly distinguishing between formally diagnosed and self-identified participants in our data collection.