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Use of the motor performance checklist to study motor outcomes in 5-year-olds
Petra Liljestrand1, Rita J Jeremy, Yvonne W Wu
1Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA. petra.liljestrand@kp.org
Insights
The Motor Performance Checklist (MPC) effectively identifies neurodevelopmental issues in 5-year-olds, correlating with cognitive and motor assessments. Examiner training is crucial for consistent results in research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Assessment
- Gross and Fine Motor Skills Evaluation
- Neonatal Outcomes Research
Background:
- Neonatal events like jaundice and dehydration can impact child development.
- Early identification of neurodevelopmental deficits is critical for timely intervention.
- Standardized tools are needed to assess motor skills in young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Motor Performance Checklist (MPC) as a tool for assessing neurodevelopmental outcomes in 5-year-olds.
- To determine the correlation between MPC scores and other established developmental assessments.
- To investigate the reliability of the MPC across different examiners.
Main Methods:
- The Motor Performance Checklist (MPC), a 12-item instrument, was administered to 339 five-year-old children.
- Examiner training was conducted prior to data collection to ensure standardized administration.
- MPC scores were compared with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R), Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-Fourth Edition (VMI-4), and neurological examinations.
Main Results:
- Children failing the MPC exhibited significantly lower scores on the WPPSI-R and VMI-4.
- Failure on the MPC was associated with an increased likelihood of a 'questionable' neurological examination.
- Parental concerns regarding arm and hand use were linked to MPC failure; significant sex differences and inter-examiner variability were noted.
Conclusions:
- The Motor Performance Checklist (MPC) demonstrates validity in assessing neurodevelopmental status in 5-year-olds.
- MPC scores correlate with broader measures of cognitive and motor development.
- Standardization of examiner training and inclusion of examiner-specific data are recommended for research applications of the MPC.
Aim:
To report findings about the Motor Performance Checklist (MPC) for 5-year-olds, a simple 12-item instrument for assessing gross and fine motor skills, in a research study of neurodevelopmental outcomes after neonatal events.
Methods:
We trained 10 examiners to use the MPC in a study of the outcomes of neonatal jaundice and dehydration in 339 5-year-old children. We compared MPC scores with those on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R), the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-Fourth Edition (VMI-4), and a standard neurological examination, and compared failure rates on each MPC item across examiners. Parent concerns about their child's development were addressed using the Parent Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS).
Results:
Children who 'failed' the MPC had 7-10 points lower mean scores on the WPPSI-R subscales (P = 0.001), 9-10 points lower mean scores on the VMI-4 subscales (P = 0.001), and were almost twice as likely to have a 'questionable' neurological examination score (adjusted OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.00-3.53, P = 0.005). On the PEDS, only the concern about the use of arms and hands was significantly associated with MPC failure. We found significant sex differences on four of the 12 MPC items. We also found differences in failure rates by different examiners.
Conclusions:
MPC scores correlated with other measures of neurodevelopment. Because of different failure rates across examiners, examiner terms need to be included if it is used in research studies.
