Related Experiment Videos
Construction and validation of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)
M C Piper1, L E Pinnell, J Darrah
1Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Summary
The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) assesses gross motor development in infants from birth to walking. This observational scale demonstrates reliability and validity for tracking infant motor maturation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
- Infant Motor Development
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Gross motor skills are crucial for infant development.
- Standardized assessments are needed to track motor maturation accurately.
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) was developed to address this need.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development and validation of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
- To establish the reliability and validity of the AIMS for assessing infant gross motor skills.
Main Methods:
- The AIMS was created with 58 items across four positions (prone, supine, sitting, standing).
- Content validation involved surveys of pediatric physical therapists and expert consultation.
- Reliability and validity were tested on 506 infants (birth to 18 months), including those with motor concerns.
Main Results:
- Test-retest and inter-rater reliability estimates were calculated.
- Correlations between AIMS scores and established motor scales (Bayley, Peabody) were examined.
- Items were scaled according to age for normal motor development progression.
Conclusions:
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a validated tool for assessing gross motor development in infants.
- The AIMS provides reliable and valid measures of infant motor maturation.
- The scale aids in identifying developmental trajectories and potential motor disorders.