Developing and validating a school-based screening tool of Fundamental Movement Skills (FUNMOVES) using Rasch...

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Public Health
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Many children lack age-appropriate fundamental movement skills (FMS).
• Timely identification of children needing support for FMS is crucial.
• Existing FMS assessment tools are inadequate for universal school screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a psychometrically sound FMS assessment tool for universal school screening.
• Ensure the tool meets the practical demands of school environments.

Main Methods:

• The FUNMOVES assessment tool was developed by experts in developmental psychology, public health, and behavioral epidemiology.
• Three studies involving 814 children aged 4-11 years utilized Rasch analysis to refine the tool.
• Modifications were made based on Rasch analysis results and implementation fidelity across studies.

Main Results:

• Initial Rasch analysis revealed psychometric issues such as multidimensionality and misfitting items.
• Iterative refinement across three studies improved the tool's psychometric properties.
• The finalized FUNMOVES tool demonstrated unidimensionality and good fit to the Rasch model.

Conclusions:

• The refined FUNMOVES tool provides accurate measurement of FMS.
• FUNMOVES is a free, efficient screening tool for use in schools, assessing a full class in under an hour.
• This tool can facilitate early intervention and remove disability barriers for children needing FMS support.