Objective: To determine the interrater reliability of the Preschool Movement Assessment (PMA), a unique field-based assessment tool for use by early childhood professionals in preschool settings.
Methods: A total of 123 preschool children, aged 3-5years, were assessed by 6 trained raters using the PMA tool in an intervention. Interrater agreement on individual items of the PMA was determined using the kappa (κ) and intraclass correlation coefficient statistics.
Results: Weighted κ values were 0.82-0.96, indicating excellent agreement for all constructs of the PMA. The 95% confidence intervals indicated that all weighted κ's were statistically significant. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the PMA total score was 0.97.
Conclusions and implications: After additional developmental research, the tool might serve to establish and support a minimum level of functional movements that should be attained before a child enters grade school.
Keywords: assessment; child care; fundamental movement; physical activity; preschooler.
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