Evaluating the Responsiveness of 2 Versions of the Gross Motor Function Measure for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Wang HY, Yang YH. Evaluating the responsiveness of 2 versions of the Gross Motor Function Measure for children with cerebral palsy.ObjectiveTo compare the responsiveness to motor change of the original version of Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and its second version (GMFM-66) in children with cerebral palsy (CP).DesignCross-sectional study.SettingSeven rehabilitation pediatric clinics.ParticipantsSixty-five children with CP (age range, 0.5−9.4y; mean, 3.7±1.9y) were recruited.InterventionThe children’s motor ability was assessed twice with a mean interval of 3.5 months using all of the GMFM-88 items. A 3-category range of therapist judgments on the children’s meaningful motor improvement was used as an external standard.Main Outcome MeasuresGMFM-88 scores, GMFM-66 scores, and therapists’ judgments.ResultsRegarding the association with the therapist judgments, the overall responsiveness of GMFM-66 is superior to that of GMFM-88. Both measures’ sensitivities of the responsiveness are similar, but GMFM-66 has better specificity.ConclusionsTo evaluate the motor change in a sample of children with CP over a mean interval of 3.5 months by using the 2 versions of GMFM, the GMFM-66 was more responsive than the GMFM-88 with respect to consistency with therapist clinically meaningful judgments.