Authors: Andrea Dincher
Affiliation
Sports Sciences Institute, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
Abstract
Background. Children with motor deficits need to be identified early in order to initiate appropriate therapies. Detailed motor tests are often time-consuming and costly. In contrast, a screening makes it possible for teachers to test their school class within one lesson.
Aims. Therefore, a new mobility screening for children from six to eight years, based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth, has been validated.
Methods. In total, 196 primary school children (87 are girls, 109 boys, age of 7.39 ± .77 years) participated. All underwent the new MobiScreen version for children from six to eight years. Task split times, and total times were taken. Tasks are evaluated by points, and added to a total score. Construct validity, and discriminant ability were evaluated. The significance level was set at p<.05.
Results. The factor analysis for item split times reveals a one-factor model with a component (eigenvalue of 3.63, variance explication 73 %). The factor analysis for item scores shows a two-factor model with two components (eigenvalues 1.61 and 1.14, cumulated variance explanation 55 %). The discriminant analysis shows significant differences for all variables apart from scores for slalom and crawling.
Conclusions. The assumed one-factor model of mobility can be confirmed for item split times. The MobiScreen version for children from six to eight years is able to differentiate between healthy children and children with a medical diagnosis. For this, further validation steps can follow (criterion validity and diagnostic accuracy). A study on this has already been initiated.
Key words: mobility, motor development, assessment, screening, validity, primary school.
Validity of a new mobility screening for primary school children
