Measuring Early Problem-Solving in Young Children with Motor Delays: A Validation Study

Abstract

Aim

There is a lack of evidence-based tools for measuring problem-solving in young children with motor delays. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and responsiveness of the Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play.

Methods

125 young children (10.72, SD 2.62 months) with mild, moderate, and severe motor delays were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition Cognitive Scale and the Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play up to 4 times over 12 months. The baseline and change over time assessment scores were compared.

Results

The Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play was strongly, positively correlated with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition Cognitive Scale raw scores at baseline (r=.83, p<.001) and for changes in scores across time (r=.64, p<.001). On average, participants demonstrated positive change in problem-solving scores across time. Participants with severe motor delay scored lower at baseline and changed less as compared to other participants.

Conclusions

Results provide evidence for the construct validity and responsiveness of the Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play scores in quantifying problem-solving in young children with motor delays 7-27 months of age.

Keywords:

• Problem solving
• infant development
• early intervention
• psychometric testing
• motor development
• perceptual-cognitive development
• Developmental delay
• cerebral palsy

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge and thank Jay Buzhardt, PhD and Dale Walker, PhD from the Juniper Garden’s Children’s Project for their ongoing dialogue about measuring problem solving in children with motor disabilities and their review of an early draft of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education under Sitting Together And Reaching To Play (START-Play). (Award #R324A150103); Children’s Hospital Foundation Research Grant under Relation Between Motor, Cognitive, and Language Skills during Infancy: An Extension of the START-Play Clinical Trial; Foundation for Physical Therapy under Supporting Play, Exploration, & Early Development (SPEEDI) for Infants Born Preterm: An Initial Efficacy Study.

Notes on contributors

Rebecca M. Molinini

Rebecca Molinini, PT is a Physical Therapist and PhD candidate in the Rehabilitation and Movement Science PhD Program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Natalie A. Koziol

Natalie A. Koziol, PhD is a research assistant professor in the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Tanya Tripathi

Tanya Tripathi, PhD is a post-doctoral researcher in the Pediatric and Rehabilitation Laboratory at The Ohio State University.

Regina T. Harbourne

Regina T. Harbourne, PT, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Rangos School of Health Sciences at Duquesne University. Her research interests include early postural control development, efficacy of early intervention, motor learning, and variability and complexity of motor control.

Sarah Westcott McCoy

Sarah Westcott McCoy, PT, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington. Her research interests include: 1) development of measurements for postural and motor control dysfunction; 2) evaluation of the effectiveness of specific motor learning interventions utilizing technology and gaming devices for children with developmental coordination disorder and cerebral palsy; 3) developing longitudinal data for impairments, health and participation and determining best service models for children with cerebral palsy.

Michele A. Lobo

Michele A. Lobo, PT, PhD is an Assistant Professor & Co-Director of the Move to Learn Innovation Lab in the Department of Physical Therapy and Biomechanics and Movement Science Program at the University of Delaware. Her research goal includes designing and testing assessments, interventions, and rehabilitation devices that maximize early learning and development.

James Bovaird

James Bovaird, PhD is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Stacey C. Dusing

Stacey C Dusing, PT, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her primary research interests include understanding the influence of motor control on global development and efficacy of physical therapy interventions for infants. Specifically, she focuses on the relationship between postural control, reaching, mobility, and cognition in infants with typical development and at risk for disabilities and interventions for infants born prematurely or with cerebral palsy.