Usefulness of movement ABC-2 checklist and developmental coordination disorder questionnaire’07 for parents as screening tools to identify developmental coordination disorder in Grade 1 learners

Abstract

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neuro-motor developmental disorder that interferes with a child’s ability to perform daily tasks. The aim of the study was to examine the convergent validity of motor difficulties by a movement specialist using the MABC-2 Performance Test and the identification of motor difficulties by parents when completing the MABC-2 Checklist and DCDQ’07. The purpose was to determine if parents possess the competency to identify Grade 1 learners with motor difficulties and to determine which screening tool yields the best results. Grade 1 learners (n=281; 160 girls and 121 boys) in Bloemfontein, South Africa between the ages of five and eight years participated. Furthermore, the parents (n=281) took part in the evaluation of their own child in their home environment. The MABC-2-Checklist for parents yielded a kappa coefficient of 0.159, and thus had a small effect size (r=0.15). There was only a 16% convergent validity. The DCDQ’07 for parents indicated a kappa coefficient of 0.175 with a small effect size (r=0.18). There was only a 17.5% convergent validity. Therefore, it can be reported that parents using the MABC-2-Checklist and the DCDQ’07 could not identify learners with DCD.

Keywords: Developmental Coordination Disorder; Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Performance Test (MABC-2); Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist; Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire’07