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The Head Control Scale: Responsiveness and Concurrent Validity With the Alberta Infant Motor Scale
Jodi Thomas1, Elaine Rosen, Helene Dumas
1School of Physical Therapy (Dr Thomas), Texas Woman's University, Dallas, Texas; Department of Physical Therapy (Ms Rosen and Dr Dumas), Franciscan Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Summary
The Head Control Scale (HCS) effectively measures changes in infant head control and aligns well with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), supporting its clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Infant motor development assessment
Background:
- Accurate assessment of infant motor skills is crucial for early intervention.
- The Head Control Scale (HCS) is a tool used to evaluate head control in infants.
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a widely used measure of gross motor development in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the responsiveness of the Head Control Scale (HCS) to changes in head control.
- To assess the concurrent validity of the HCS in relation to the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
Main Methods:
- The HCS and AIMS were administered to 50 infants and young children.
- A subset of 30 children underwent reevaluation at hospital discharge or 18 months of age.
Main Results:
- The HCS demonstrated statistically significant positive changes in mean scores for total and positional assessments over time.
- Excellent concurrent validity was found between the total scores of the HCS and AIMS.
Conclusions:
- The HCS is a responsive measure for tracking changes in infant head control.
- The HCS exhibits strong concurrent validity with the AIMS, supporting its application in clinical settings.
