Psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-Italian)

Barbara Caravale; Silvia Baldi; Luca Capone; Fabio Presaghi; Umberto Balottin; Marina Zoppello

doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.10.035

Psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-Italian)

Res Dev Disabil. 2015 Jan:36C:543-550. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.10.035. Epub 2014 Nov 14.

Authors

Barbara Caravale¹, Silvia Baldi², Luca Capone³, Fabio Presaghi⁴, Umberto Balottin⁵, Marina Zoppello³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: barbara.caravale@uniroma1.it.
² Melograno Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation Association, Via Domodossola 23, 00183 Rome, Italy.
³ Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
⁴ Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy.
⁵ Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy; Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.

PMID: 25462515
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.10.035

Abstract

A valid tool that contributes to the diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is represented by the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07). Recently we developed the Italian version of DCDQ (DCDQ-Italian). The aim of this study was to further analyze the psychometric properties in a sample of Italian school children aged 5-12 years and to establish cut-off scores with respect to age groups. A total of 698 parents completed the DCDQ-Italian and 45 of them repeated it after 2 weeks for test-retest reliability. One hundred and seventeen children were tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Confirmatory factor analysis supported this version to be consistent with the original. Cronbach's alpha for the total score was 0.89 and test-retest reliability was 0.88. Two-ways ANOVA for total and single subscales showed a significant main effect for age group only and not for gender. Sensitivity and specificity for our community based sample were 59% and 65% respectively, considering the cut-off scores for the 15th percentile of M-ABC and increasing when age groups were taken into account (ROC curve=0.62). The agreement with the original was good if 15th is considered. This is the first study on the psychometric property of DCDQ in a community sample of Italian children. The DCDQ-Italian could be used as a screening tool for motor coordination difficulties in Italian children. Slight differences in cut-offs should be considered when using this version.

Keywords: Developmental coordination disorder; Movement Assessment Battery for Children; Parent's questionnaire; Screening.