Design and Construct Validity of a Postural Control Test for Pre-Term Infants

A review of the literature indicated that the greatest prognostic value for predicting motor impairment in high-risk infants is the absence of fidgety movements (FMs) at 3 months of post-term age. The purpose of the present study was to characterize a new posturometric test (PT) based on a center-of-pressure (CoP) movement analysis, in terms of design and construct validity, for the detection of postural control disturbances in pre-term infants. The comparative studies were carried out between pre-term infants who presented normal FMs (18 participants) and infants with absent FMs (19 participants), which consisted of the analysis of the CoP trajectory and CoP area in supine and prone positions using the force platform. New PT was performed simultaneously with GMs recorded using a force platform. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between the groups of infants who presented absent FMs and normal FMs for almost all CoP parameters describing spontaneous sway in the supine position. Based on these preliminary results, it can be concluded, that the application of PT based on the analysis of CoP trajectory, area, and velocity in the supine position has been demonstrated to be valid for the detection of postural control disturbances in pre-term infants.