Which items of the movement assessment battery for children are most sensitive for identifying children with probable...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Motor Development Research
• Clinical Assessment Tools

Background:

• The Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (MABC-2) is widely used for assessing child motor skills.
• However, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of individual MABC-2 items for identifying probable Developmental Coordination Disorder (p-DCD) remain largely unexamined.
• This gap limits precise identification of motor coordination deficits in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine which specific MABC-2 items are most sensitive in detecting p-DCD across different age bands.
• To evaluate the predictive value of individual MABC-2 items for identifying children with p-DCD.
• To enhance the diagnostic accuracy of the MABC-2 for p-DCD.

Main Methods:

• A large dataset of 4916 typically developing (TD) children and 822 children with p-DCD aged 3-16 years from European and African populations was analyzed.
• Hedges' g was calculated to determine the standardized mean difference (SMD) between p-DCD and TD groups for each MABC-2 item.
• Logistic regression analysis assessed the sensitivity and specificity of raw MABC-2 item scores in predicting p-DCD within specific age bands.

Main Results:

• Age Band 1 (AB1): Threading beads and jumping on mats showed substantial differences (SMD ≥ 1.61). Overall sensitivity was 61.7%, specificity 98.6%.
• Age Band 2 (AB2): Walking heel-to-toe forwards was significantly poorer in p-DCD (SMD 1.65). Overall sensitivity was 79.0%, specificity 97.6%.
• Age Band 3 (AB3): Catching a ball (preferred/non-preferred hand) and walking heel-to-toe backwards demonstrated substantial poorer performance in p-DCD (SMD ≥ 1.61). Overall sensitivity reached 94.4%, specificity 99.6%.

Conclusions:

• Not all MABC-2 items possess equal discriminatory power between children with p-DCD and TD peers.
• While specificity remains high across age bands, sensitivity is only moderate in younger children (AB1-2), coinciding with the acquisition of culturally influenced motor skills.
• These findings highlight the need for careful item selection and interpretation in diagnosing p-DCD, particularly in early childhood.