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Validity of the TIMPSI for estimating concurrent performance on the test of infant motor performance
Suzann K Campbell1, Andrew Swanlund, Everett Smith
1Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences and College of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. skc@uic.edu
Insights
The short Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMPSI) accurately screens infants, correlating well with the full Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP). A cutscore of -0.25 SD offers optimal accuracy for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Motor Development Assessment
- Infant Screening Tools
Background:
- The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) is a comprehensive tool for assessing infant motor skills.
- A shorter version, the TIMPSI, is utilized for efficient infant screening.
- Clinical decision-making requires validated cutscores for screening instruments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare concurrent scores of the TIMPSI with the full TIMP.
- To establish recommended cutscores for the TIMPSI to aid clinical decision-making.
- To evaluate the validity of the TIMPSI as a screening tool.
Main Methods:
- 990 low birth weight infants were recruited, reflecting US demographics.
- Infants were tested in 2-week age groups from 34 weeks postmenstrual age to 17 weeks post-term.
- Rasch analysis was employed, comparing TIMPSI cutscores to TIMP performance (-0.5 SD) for classification accuracy.
Main Results:
- The TIMPSI demonstrated validity as a screening instrument.
- Concurrent scores on the TIMPSI showed strong correlation with performance on the TIMP.
- The instrument effectively differentiates motor performance levels.
Conclusions:
- A TIMPSI cutscore of -0.25 SD provides a balance between false negatives (5.8%) and false positives (12.5%).
- This cutscore achieves an overall classification accuracy of 81.7%.
- The TIMPSI is a valid and clinically useful tool for infant motor screening.
Purpose:
The TIMPSI, a short version of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP), is used for screening. The project was designed to compare concurrent TIMPSI scores with those on the TIMP and recommend cutscores for clinical decision making.
Methods:
Infants (n = 990) were recruited reflecting the race/ethnicity of US infants with low birth weight. From 67 to 97 infants were tested in 2-week age groups ranging from 34 to 35 weeks postmenstrual age through 16 to 17 weeks post-term. Rasch analysis of raw scores was used. TIMPSI cutscores ranging from the mean to -1.00 standard deviation (SD) were compared with performance above/below -0.5 SD on the TIMP to assess accuracy of classification.
Results:
The TIMPSI was a valid screening instrument when compared with concurrent performance on the TIMP.
Conclusion:
A cutscore of -0.25 SD appears useful in predicting the best combination of false negatives (5.8%) and false positives (12.5%) with overall accuracy of classification of 81.7%.
