Usability and inter-rater reliability of the NeuroMotion app: A tool in General Movements Assessments

Abstract

Background: Early intervention after perinatal brain insults requires early detection of infants with cerebral palsy (CP). General Movements Assessments (GMA) in the fidgety movement period has a high predictive value for CP.

Aim: To investigate the NeuroMotion™ app's usability regarding film quality and user experience and to assess the inter-rater reliability of GMA in a neonatal risk group.

Methods: GMA, inter-rater reliability and film quality was assessed in a cohort consisting of 37 infants enrolled in a multicentre study of GMA as part of the Swedish neonatal follow-up program for high-risk infants. Some of these infants were filmed twice. For evaluation of user experience 95 parents of 52 infants were addressed with a web-based questionnaire. A GMA expert assessed film quality and performed GMA and three on-site assessors, individually performed GMA. Inter-rater reliability was computed using Krippendorff's alpha (k-alpha).

Results: In all, 45 films showed good or excellent quality. The response rate of the questionnaire survey was 40% and revealed predominantly positive perceptions of the NeuroMotion™ app. GMA in 36 infants resulted in substantial agreement (k-alpha = 0.72, 95%CI = 0.3-1.0) between the three on-site assessors' consensus and the GMA expert. Inter-rater reliability for GMA between the on-site assessors was moderate (k-alpha = 0.48, 0.18-0.74).

Conclusion: The NeuroMotion™ app produces good technical quality films and the app user experience was overall positive. High agreement was observed between the on-site assessors and the GMA expert. The study design is feasible for more extensive GMA studies in cohorts of infants at risk of CP.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy; General movement assessment; Infant; Inter-rater reliability; Smartphone application.