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Reliability and responsiveness of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition Test in children with
Yee-Pay Wuang1, Jui-Hsing Su, Chwen-Yng Su
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Insights
The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing motor skills in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Its scores aid in clinical decisions for managing these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Motor development research
- Clinical assessment tools
Background:
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills in children.
- Accurate assessment tools are crucial for effective intervention.
- The MABC-2 is a widely used measure for evaluating motor competence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness of the MABC-2.
- To determine the MABC-2's validity in assessing children with DCD.
- To establish reference points for clinical decision-making using MABC-2 scores.
Main Methods:
- 144 Taiwanese children (6-12 years) with DCD participated.
- Three testing sessions were conducted: two baseline and one post-intervention.
- Therapists rated children's performance on school-related physical tasks.
Main Results:
- The MABC-2 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.90) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97).
- The test showed a small to medium treatment effect, with acceptable validity for subscales (excluding balance).
- Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) was 0.28 points; Minimal Important Difference (MID) ranged from 2.36 to 2.50.
Conclusions:
- The MABC-2 is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing motor competence in children with DCD.
- MID and MDC values offer valuable benchmarks for clinical management of DCD.
- This study validates the MABC-2 for use in a Taiwanese pediatric population with DCD.
Aim:
To examine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) Test for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
Method:
One hundred and forty-four Taiwanese children with DCD aged 6 to 12 years (87 males, 57 females) were tested on three separate occasions: two baseline measurements with a 20-day interval before the intervention, and a follow-up measurement after 6 months of rehabilitation. The therapists rated the performance of children in school-related physical tasks at baseline and after intervention.
Results:
Internal consistency for the MABC-2 Test was α = 0.90. Test-retest reliability for the total score was excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.97. A small to medium magnitude of treatment effect was captured by the MABC-2 Test. The minimal detectable change (MDC) was 0.28 points whereas the minimal important difference (MID) values were from 2.36 to 2.50. All subscales except balance showed acceptable validity in differentiating groups of children whose physical performance had improved or remained stable.
Interpretation:
The MABC-2 Test is a reliable and valid measure to assess motor competence in children with DCD. The MID and MDC scores provide the reference point for clinical decision-making in managing the individual child.
