Evaluation of a screening instrument for developmental coordination disorder

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Motor Development
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills in children.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for timely intervention.
• Existing diagnostic tools can be time-consuming or require specialized training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Children's Self-Perceptions of Adequacy in, and Predilection for Physical Activity (CSAPPA) scale.
• To assess the CSAPPA scale's utility as a proxy for the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) in diagnosing DCD.
• To establish gender-specific cutoffs for the CSAPPA scale in DCD screening.

Main Methods:

• 209 children (121 male, 87 female) underwent the BOTMP test, CSAPPA scale, Participation Questionnaire, Léger 20-meter Shuttle Run, and body fat analysis.
• Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Kappa statistic were employed for validation.
• Gender-specific analyses were conducted to determine optimal CSAPPA cutoffs.

Main Results:

• The CSAPPA scale identified DCD with high sensitivity and specificity in both genders (Males: Sensitivity .90, Specificity .89; Females: Sensitivity .88, Specificity .75).
• Gender-specific cutoffs (<47 for males, <53 for females) showed significant agreement with positive BOTMP test results (p < .01).
• Children identified with DCD exhibited significantly lower self-efficacy, aerobic fitness, and higher relative body fat (p < .01).

Conclusions:

• The CSAPPA scale demonstrates strong psychometric properties for DCD screening.
• Findings align with known characteristics of children with DCD, including motor, self-efficacy, and fitness deficits.
• The CSAPPA scale is a promising, accessible tool for identifying children who may have DCD.