Interrater Reliability of a Field-Based Preschool Movement Skills Assessment

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018 Nov-Dec;50(10):1040-1045. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.07.007. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Child Care
  • Child, Preschool
  • Exercise / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Observer Variation
  • Physical Examination / standards*
  • Psychomotor Performance* / classification
  • Psychomotor Performance* / physiology
  • Reproducibility of Results