A Protocol for Structured Observation of Motor Performance in Preterm and Term Infants

Abstract

A new protocol for structured observation of motor performance, for use both in term and preterm infants, has been tested regarding interobserver agreement and intraobserver consistency. Ten different motor items are assessed concerning the developmental level as described in the protocol. Any deviations from the description of the level are noted. The two main observers twice reassessed video recordings of 17 infants who had primarily been assessed by them both in an ongoing follow-up study. The two observers arrived at the same level of development in 75% of the observed items at the first reassessment and in 81% at the second, and agreed concerning deviation in 73 and 79% of the observations at the two reassessments, respectively. Each observer arrived at the same level of development at all three assessments in 62% of the observed items. Thus when used by these two observers the protocol has an acceptable degree of interobserver agreement and intraobserver consistency.