Reliability of the Test of Gross Motor Development Third Edition Among Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Abstract

Aim

The Test of Gross Motor Development Third Edition (TGMD-3) is used to assess the development of fundamental movement skills in children from 3 to 10 years old. This study aimed to evaluate the intra-rater, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability and to determine the minimal detectable change (MDC) value of the TGMD-3 in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Methods

The TGMD-3 was administered to 20 children with DCD. The child’s fundamental movement skills were recorded using a digital video camera. Reliability was assessed at two occasions by three raters using the generalizability theory.

Results

The TGMD-3 demonstrates good inter-rater reliability for the locomotor skills subscale, the ball skills subscale, and the total score (φ = 0.77 − 0.91), while the intra-rater reliability was even higher (φ = 0.94 − 0.97). Test-retest reliability was also shown to be good (φ = 0.79-0.93). The MDC₉₅ was determined to be 10 points.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence that the TGMD-3 is a reliable test when used to evaluate fundamental movement skills in children with DCD and suggests that an increase of 10 points represents a significant change in the motor function of a child with DCD.

Keywords:

• Developmental coordination disorder
• fundamental movement skills
• generalizability theory
• inter-rater reliability
• intra-rater reliability
• motor skill assessment
• Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD)
• test-retest reliability

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the children and families that participated in this study, as well as Laurie Bernier-Dionne, Gabrielle Jarry and Véronique Dore who contributed to the project. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the department of physiotherapy of the Centre de Réadaptation Marie Enfant for their support.

Disclosure Statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ordre Professionnel de la Physiothérapie du Québec and by the Multidisciplinary Council of the CHU Sainte-Justine.

Notes on contributors

Laine Roczniak

Laine Roczniak graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy in 2007. She soon developed an interest in pediatric physiotherapy. She works at the Center de Réadaptation Marie Enfant, affiliated with CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal, Quebec. She has developed an expertise working with children with developmental coordination disorder.

Mylène Jutras

Mylène Jutras is physiotherapist. She graduated from University of Montreal with a Master of Science in Physiotherapy in 2018. She participated in the present study as a master student.

Caroline Lévesque

Caroline Lévesque is physiotherapist. She graduated from University of Montreal with a Master of Science in Physiotherapy in 2018. She participated in the present study as a master student.

Carole Fortin

Carole Fortin is associate professor in the Department of Physiotherapy of the School of Rehabilitation (Faculty of Medicine), University of Montreal. She is also researcher at the Centre de recherche Azrieli of CHU Sainte-Justine with a clinical expertise in pediatrics. Her research focusses on physiotherapy evaluations and interventions in children and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and neurodevelopmental disorders.