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Validity of the Movement Behavior Questionnaire-Child (MBQ-C) Physical Activity Domain among Toddlers
Soyang Kwon1, Nidhi S Gopagani1, Isabella R Zylka1
1Northwestern University.
Insights
Caregiver reports of toddler physical activity using the Movement Behavior Questionnaire-Child (MBQ-C) show poor reliability and validity. The MBQ-C PA domain may not accurately capture movement in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Movement Science
- Child Development
Background:
- The Movement Behavior Questionnaire-Child (MBQ-C) assesses 24-hour movement behaviors in children under 5.
- This study focused on the MBQ-C's physical activity (PA) domain for toddlers aged 1-2 years.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the test-retest reliability of the MBQ-C PA domain.
- Assess the convergent validity of the MBQ-C PA domain against accelerometer data.
Main Methods:
- 71 toddlers (16-34 months) wore accelerometers for 7 days.
- Mothers completed the MBQ-C PA domain twice (pre- and post-wear).
- Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Spearman correlations were used for analysis.
Main Results:
- Test-retest reliability was poor for active play (ICC=0.45) and moderate for energetic play (ICC=0.57).
- MBQ-C PA estimates showed no significant correlation with accelerometer-derived PA metrics (ρ=-0.18 to 0.07).
- Minimal floor and ceiling effects were observed in the MBQ-C PA domain.
Conclusions:
- The MBQ-C PA domain exhibits poor to moderate test-retest reliability in toddlers.
- Convergent validity of the MBQ-C PA domain against objective measures is very low.
- Caregiver reports may struggle to accurately capture the complex movement patterns of toddlers.
Background:
The Movement Behavior Questionnaire-Child (MBQ-C) is a caregiver-reported tool designed to assess 24-hour movement behaviors (physical activity [PA], sleep, and screen time) in children under age 5 years who are able to walk. This study evaluated the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of the MBQ-C PA domain among toddlers aged 1-2 years.
Method:
This ancillary study was conducted within the Child and Mother Physical Activity Study (CAMPAS), a longitudinal cohort examining early childhood PA development. Toddlers aged 1-2 years wore an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer on the hip for 7 consecutive days. Mothers completed the MBQ-C PA domain twice, once before and once after the wear. The domain included four items assessing time spent in active play (categorical responses from 0 minutes to > 4 hours per day) and energetic play (categorical responses from 0 minutes to > 2 hours per day) on a typical weekday and weekend day. Responses were converted to minutes per day using the midpoints of categorical ranges. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Convergent validity was examined using Spearman correlations between MBQ-C-derived and accelerometer-derived PA metrics.
Results:
A total of 71 toddler-mother dyads were included in analysis (child age = 24 ± 4 months; range = 16-34 months). The proportions of respondents reporting "0 minutes" on the four MBQ-C PA items ranged from 0-10%. No respondents reported the highest response to any MBQ-C PA items, indicating no to minimal floor and ceiling effects. Accelerometer-derived mean acceleration was 21.0 ± 4.5 mg. Accelerometer-derived total PA and moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA were 245 ± 42 and 79 ± 23 minutes/day, respectively. Test-retest reliability was poor for active play (ICC = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.20, 0.64) and moderate for energetic play (ICC = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.38, 0.76), respectively. MBQ-C-derived PA estimates were not correlated with accelerometer-derived PA estimates (ρ=-0.18 to 0.07; all p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Among toddlers aged 1-2 years, the MBQ-C PA domain demonstrated poor to moderate test-retest reliability and very low convergent validity relative to accelerometer-derived PA measures. These findings underscore the challenges of accurately capturing toddlers' PA through caregiver report, given the highly sporadic and unstructured nature of movement at this age.
