Motor Skill Assessments for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities

Pediatric occupational and physical therapists often evaluate children’s motor skill abilities to determine how these skills affect an individual’s function. Gross motor skills are necessary throughout the day to complete so many activities starting from getting out of bed in the morning, walking throughout school, playing after school and heading up to bed at night. They play a huge role in most activities of daily living. Researchers took a closer look at determining the appropriate gross motor skill assessments for autism or intellectual disabilities in children.

WHAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL GROSS MOTOR SKILLS?

Fundamental gross motor skills can be broken down into several categories:

  • stability
  • locomotor
  • object control skills

These skills are part of an essential foundation for activities of daily living. In addition, they are necessary to build more complex skills for general physical activity and sports.

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY ON MOTOR SKILL ASSESSMENTS FOR AUTISM OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

The researchers completed a systematic review to identify the best tests for kids with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Using an electronic literature search, they included studies where the participants were children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism, ages 3-18 years old, that used field-based gross motor competence assessments, reported measurement properties, and were published in English.

The assessments were also examined for validity, reliability, responsiveness, and feasibility.

RESULTS

The systemic review included 3182 results of which 13 articles included 10 assessments of motor competence. The ten assessments were: Test of Gross Motor Development-2, Test of Gross Motor Development-3, Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, Movement Assessment Battery for Children—2nd Edition, Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition (PDMS-2), Test of Motor Proficiency, Cratty Six-Category Gross Motor Test, Data Based Dance Skills Placement Test, Ages and Stages Questionnaire-2, and The Four Square Step Test.

The results indicated the following:

  • The Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 followed by The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 demonstrated the greatest levels of evidence for validity and reliability.
  • Feasibility results were mixed, most instruments required little additional equipment and were appropriate for a school setting, although, additional training was needed to score and interpret the results.

CONCLUSION

The researchers determined that the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 followed by The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 were the most psychometrically appropriate motor competency assessments for children with autism and/or intellectual disabilities. Additional research was recommended.

REFERENCE

Downs, S. J., Boddy, L. M., McGrane, B., Rudd, J. R., Melville, C. A., & Foweather, L. (2020). Motor competence assessments for children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: a systematic review. BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 6(1), e000902.

RELATED POSTS AND MOTOR SKILLS AND AUTISM

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