Abstract
Aims: The current study assessed whether modifying instructions on the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition (PDMS-2) affected scores in children with typical development. Methods: The gross motor portion of the PDMS-2 was administered twice, 2–10 days apart, to 38 children. Age- and gender-matched groups received instructions in both standard and modified formats, with order depending on group assignment. Results: Gross Motor Quotient results showed an effect for instruction type (p = .03) and an interaction between instruction type and order (p = .02). Improved scores for those given modified instructions during the second session indicated the interaction favored modifications. Stationary scores showed an effect for instruction type (p = .01) and an interaction between instruction type and age (p = .02). Object Manipulation scores showed an interaction between instruction type and order only (p =.002); Locomotion scores showed no significant changes (p = .25). Percentile rank changes ranged from 9% to 22% across subtests. Conclusions: Findings suggested instruction modifications may change PDMS-2 gross motor scores, even in children with typical development. Findings also suggested normative scores should not be reported if modifications were used during testing. Research is needed to determine optimal cues for the best representation of true motor ability during standardized assessment.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the local daycare center and staff for allowing us to complete this study and be present for many weeks to do so. We are grateful to all the children who participated and their families for agreeing to work with us, for without them, this study would have not been possible. We would also like to thank Curt Bay, PhD and Professor, for the assistance in the statistical analysis.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Deanne Fay
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Tawna Wilkinson
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
A. Dawn Anderson
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Megan Hanyzewski
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Kelli Hellwig
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Cherish Meador
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Karli Schultz
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Janelle Wong
Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD is a professor and Tawna Wilkinson, PT, DPT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physical Therapy at A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona. They are both APTA Board Certified Pediatric Specialists. A. Dawn Anderson, PT, DPT, Megan Hanyzewski, PT, DPT, Kelli Hellwig, PT, DPT, Cherish Meador, PT, DPT, Karli Schultz, PT, DPT, and Janelle Wong, PT, DPT were all students at A.T. Still University. A. Dawn Anderson, currently works as a pediatric burn specialist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas and Kelli Hellwig is working as a physical therapist at Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation, Glendale, California. Cherish Meador is a physical therapists with Rieger Services, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona and Karli Schultz is a physical therapist at Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. Janelle Wong is a physical therapist with Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. and Progressive Therapy, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona.