Development of the Social Motor Function Classification System for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Psychometric Study

Tamis W Pin; Vincent K K So; Cynthia S H Siu; Sheila S N Yip; Stella See-Wing Cheung; Jenny Yim-Mui Kan

doi:10.1007/s10803-020-04689-9

Development of the Social Motor Function Classification System for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Psychometric Study

J Autism Dev Disord. 2021 Jun;51(6):1995-2003. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04689-9.

Authors

Tamis W Pin¹, Vincent K K So², Cynthia S H Siu², Sheila S N Yip², Stella See-Wing Cheung², Jenny Yim-Mui Kan²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. tamis.pin@polyu.edu.hk.
² Heep Hong Society, Sandy Bay, Hong Kong.

PMID: 32889639
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04689-9

Abstract

To examine reliability and validity of the new Social Motor Function Classification System for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (SMFCS-ASD). The SMFCS-ASD reliability was examined on 25 children (62.4 months SD 7.8) with ASD among six physical therapists. The validity study involved 1001 children (57.0 months, SD 9.9) with ASD using the gross motor scale (GMS) of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS-2). The indices of agreement and reliability across six examiners were moderate to substantial (Cohen's κ ≤ 0.65 and ICC > 0.90, all p < 0.001). The SMFCS-ASD was significantly correlated with the GMS of PDMS-2 (all rho from 0.61 to 0.76, p < 0.001). The SMFCS-ASD was reliable and significantly correlated with the GMS of the PDMS-2.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; Classification; Social motor function.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder / physiopathology*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology*
Child
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Humans
Male
Psychometrics / methods*
Reproducibility of Results