Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 Edition: A Study with Children Aged 12 to 48 Months

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of Peabody Developmental Motor Scales II (PDMS-2-Folio and Fewell, 2000) using a Portuguese sample. The validation of the Portuguese version of the PDMS-2 was applied according to the manual, for 392 children, from two institutions, from 12 to 48 months, with an analysis of the internal consistency (α Cronbach), of test–retest reliability (ICC) and construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis). The results of the confirmatory factorial analysis (χ2 = 55.614; df = 4; p = 0.06; χ2/df =13.904; SRMR (Standardized Root Mean Square Residual) = 0.065; CFI (Comparative Fit Index) = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) = 0.068) of two factors (Gross Motor and Fine Motor) as the original version but correlated. Most of the subtests had good internal consistency (α = 0.85) and good test–retest stability (ICC = 0.98 to 0.99). The results indicated that the Portuguese version of the PDMS-2 is adequate and valid for assessing global and fine motor skills in children aged 12 to 48 months, and can be used as a reference tool by health and education professionals to assess motor skills and, thus, allowing to detect maladjustments, deficiencies or precocity, so that children can later receive appropriate intervention.

Relationship between Motor Skills and Language Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objectives Few studies have examined the relationship between language abilities and specific motor skills in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this study was to compare the relationship of receptive language (RL) and expressive language (EL) abilities with motor functioning between toddlers with ASD aged 24–36 months and their typically developing (TD) peers. Furthermore, the study compared multidimensional motor functioning between toddlers with ASD with delayed RL and EL development and toddlers with ASD and typical RL and EL development. The predictive powers of the motor skills were examined for the group with delayed RL and EL development. Methods The language abilities of 38 toddlers with ASD and 38 age-matched TD toddlers were evaluated using the Receptive and Expressive Language Subscales of the Mullen Scale of Early Learning, and their motor skills were assessed using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd Edition. Results Significant correlations between language ability and motor functioning were observed in the ASD and TD groups. The ASD group with delayed RL and EL development had lower scores for multidimensional motor functioning than the ASD group with typical RL and EL development and the TD group. Moreover, the risks of delayed EL and RL development could be predicted by the lower motor scores among toddlers with ASD. Conclusions The positive correlation between language abilities and motor functioning among toddlers with ASD indicated potential connections between the early onsets of motor and speech–language impairments among these toddlers. Impact The results may have implications for the development of motor-based interventions targeting language development among young children with ASD.

Adaptation and Validation of the Portuguese Peabody Developmental Motor Scales - 2 edition: A Study With Children Aged 12 to 48 Months

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of Peabody Developmental Motor Scales II (PDMS-2 - Folio & Fewell, 2000) using a Portuguese sample.Methods: The validation of the Portuguese version of the PDMS-2 was applied according to the manual, for 392 children, from two institutions, from 12 to 48 months, with an analysis of the internal consistency (α Cronbach), of Temporal Stability (ICC) and Construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis).Results: The results of the confirmatory factorial analysis (χ2 = 55.614; df=4; p=.06; χ2/df =13.904; SRMR=.065; CFI=.99, TLI=.99, RMSEA=.068) of two factors (Gross Motor and Fine Motor) as the original version. Most of the subtests had good internal consistency (α = .85) and good test-retest stability (ICC = .98 to .99).Conclusions: These results indicate that the Portuguese version of the PDMS-2 is an accurate and valid instrument to evaluate the gross and fine motor skills of children aged 12 to 48 months, can be used as a reference instrument by health and education professionals, as an indicator and support for the assessment of motor skills, thus having a assessment instrument that allows to detect maladjustments, deficiencies or precociousness, so that the child can later receive the appropriate intervention

Effect of Siblings and Type of Delivery on the Development of Motor Skills in the First 48 Months of Life

This study aimed to verify whether the presence of siblings and the type of delivery had an influence on the motor skills development of children in the first 48 months of life. We developed a quantitative study with a sample of 405 children of both genders, divided according to the studied variables: children with siblings, children without siblings, children born via eutocic delivery, and children born via dystocic delivery. The instrument used in the study was the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2. Overall, the results indicated that children who had siblings had, on average, better outcomes regarding all motor skills (global and fine). Furthermore, those born via eutocic delivery, on average, had better outcomes regarding all motor skills (global and fine) when compared to children born via dystocic delivery. Thus, the presence of siblings in the family context and the type of delivery positively influenced motor development, especially after 24 months of age, showing that the presence of siblings providing cooperative activities through play and challenges improved cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Furthermore, a eutocic delivery, in addition to providing a better recovery from labor and the immediate affective bond between mother and child, also led to better results in terms of global and fine motor skills.

Circadian Rhythm Analysis Using Wearable Device Data: A Novel Penalized Machine Learning Approach (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Wearable devices have been widely used in clinical studies to study daily activity patterns, but the analysis remains the major obstacle for researchers. OBJECTIVE This study proposed a novel method to characterize sleep-activity rhythms using actigraphy and further used it to describe early childhood daily rhythm formation and examine its association with physical development. METHODS We developed a machine learning-based Penalized Multi-band Learning (PML) algorithm to sequentially infer dominant periodicities based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and further characterize daily rhythms. We implemented and applied the algorithm to Actiwatch data collected from a 262 healthy infant cohort at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month old, with 159, 101, 111, and 141 subjects participating at each time point respectively. Autocorrelation analysis and Fisher’s test for harmonic analysis with Bonferroni correction were applied to compare with PML. The association between activity rhythm features and early childhood motor development, assessed by Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-Second Edition (PDMS-2), was studied through linear regression. RESULTS PML results showed that 1-day periodicity is most dominant at 6 and 12 months, whereas 1-day, 1/3-day, and 1/2-day periodicities are most dominant at 18 and 24 months. These periodicities are all significant in Fisher’s test, with 1/4-day periodicity also significant at 12 months. Autocorrelation effectively detected 1-day periodicity but not others. At 6 months, PDMS-2 is associated with assessment seasons. At 12 months, PDMS-2 is associated with seasons and FFT signals at 1/3-day periodicity (P<.001) and 1/2-day periodicity (P=.04). In particular, subcategories of stationary, locomotion, and gross motor are associated with FFT signals at 1/3-day periodicity (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS The proposed PML algorithm can effectively conduct circadian rhythm analysis using time-series wearable device data. Application of the method effectively characterized sleep-wake rhythm development and identified the association between daily rhythm formation and motor development during early childhood. CLINICALTRIAL

Desenvolvimento Motor da criança: Relação entre Habilidades Motoras Globais, Habilidades Motoras Finas e Idade

El presente estudio sobre el desarrollo Motor del niño en los primeros meses de vida, tuvo como objetivo verificar la relación entre las Habilidades Motoras Globales, las Habilidades Motoras Finas y la Edad de los niños. Para ello, desarrollamos un estudio de naturaleza cuantitativa, con una muestra de 405 niños de edades comprendidas entre los 12 y los 46 meses, de ambos géneros. Los instrumentos utilizados en el estudio fueron las Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2). En términos globales los resultados indican que existe una tendencia a correlaciones positivas entre las variables Edad, Habilidades Motoras Globales y Habilidades Motoras Finas, resaltando la correlación positiva moderada (p≤0.05, r2=0.265, 0.5≤ r ≤ 0.7) entre la Edad y la Motricidad Fina a su vez una pequeña correlación positiva (p≤0.05, r2=0.217, 0.1≤ r ≤ 0.3) entre la Edad y la Motricidad Global. Podemos así constatar, una mejora de esas habilidades a medida que los niños crecen, evidenciando mejores resultados en la Motricidad Fina. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren la importancia de la relación entre la edad y las habilidades motoras, enfocando la necesidad de desarrollar con más énfasis las Habilidades Motoras Globales. The present study on motor development of the child in the first months of life, at verifying the relationship between Global Motor Skills, Fine Motor Skills and the Age of children. For this purpose, we developed a quantitative study, with a sample of 405 children between the ages of 12 and 46 months of both genders. The instruments used in the study were the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2). Overall, the results indicate that there is a tendency for positive correlations between the variables Age, Global Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skills, emphasizing the moderate positive correlation (p≤0.05; r2=0.265; 0.5≤ r ≤ 0.7) between Age and Fine Motricity in turn a small positive correlation (p≤0.05; r2=0.217; 0.1≤ r ≤ 0.3) between Age and Global Motricity. We can thus see an improvement of these abilities as children grow, evidencing better results in Fine Motor. The results suggest the importance of the relationship between age and motor skills, focusing on the need to develop with more emphasis the Global Motor Skills. O presente estudo sobre o desenvolvimento Motor da criança nos primeiros meses de vida, teve como objetivo verificar a relação entre as Habilidades Motoras Globais, as Habilidades Motoras Finas e a Idade das crianças. Estudo transversal, com uma amostra de 405 crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e os 46 meses, de ambos os géneros. Os instrumentos usados no estudo foram as Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2). Em termos globais os resultados indicam que existe uma tendência para correlações positivas entre as variáveis Idade, Habilidades Motoras Globais e Habilidades Motoras Finas, salientando a correlação positiva moderada (p≤0.05; r2=0.265; 0.5≤ r ≤0.7) entre a Idade e a Motricidade Fina, e uma correlação positiva pequena (p≤0.05; r2=0.217; 0.1≤ r ≤ 0.3) entre a Idade e a Motricidade Global. Podemos assim constatar, uma melhoria destas habilidades à medida que as crianças vão crescendo, evidenciando melhores resultados na Motricidade Fina. Os resultados obtidos sugerem a importância da relação entre a idade e as habilidades motoras, focando a necessidade de desenvolver com mais ênfase as Habilidades Motoras Globais.