The Early Development Instrument – Creation of a Fine Motor/Visual Motor Index

ABSTRACT

Research suggests that kindergarten fine motor (FM) and visual motor (VM) skills predict later school performance. Being able to identify if gaps exist in FM/VM readiness could inform FM/VM programming in the early years. The Early Development Instrument is used to assess school readiness in Canada and other countries. Through a Delphi method, a FM/VM Index was developed from Early Development Instrument items. The internal consistency of this Index was calculated and a cut-off score established below which FM/VM skills in the context of school readiness would be considered “Vulnerable.” The result is a FM/VM Index containing 11 questions.

KEYWORDS:

• Fine motor skills
• visual motor skills
• Early Development Instrument
• school readiness

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy for use of data contained in the Population Research Data Repository under project #2014-002 (HIPC# 2013/2014-15). The results and conclusions are those of the authors and no official endorsement by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living, or other data providers is intended or should be inferred.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Evelyn Shapiro Research Award for Health Services Research and the MSOT Research Fund; Manitoba Society of Occupational Therapists Research Fund.