Development of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire for preschoolers and preliminary evidence of its psychometric properties in Israel

PurposeThe early identification of motor coordination challenges before school age may enable close monitoring of a child's development and perhaps ameliorate some of the social, psychological and behavioral sequela that often accompany unrecognized Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the initial psychometric properties of a screening tool, the Little DCD Questionnaire (Little DCDQ), designed to identify DCD amongst preschoolers aged 3 and 4.MethodsThe suitability of the items of the DCDQ’07 for 3- and 4-year-old children was assessed. Four items were found to be suitable and new items were generated. Content validity was ensured using a Table of Specification and the items were categorized into three sub-categories (Control During Movement, Fine Motor and General Coordination). The Little DCDQ was administered to 146 children (91 boys) aged 3 and 4 (mean age = 49.39 ± 7.16 months). Ninety-one typically developing children were included (mean age = 47.80 ± 7.05 months; 46 boys) while 55 children had been referred or were being treated for some form of developmental delay (mean age = 52.02 ± 6.60 months; 45 boys). Of this sample, 28 parents completed the questionnaire twice within a 2-week interval.ResultsTest–retest reliability was evidenced by moderate to good intraclass correlation coefficient values between scores on the two administrations for the total and the three sub-category scores. Evidence of internal consistency was provided by adequate to high Cronbach's alpha co-efficients calculated for each item, each sub-category score and the total score for the total group, and separately for the control group and the clinically referred group. Validity evidence based on relations to other variables was provided by the finding of significant group differences (clinically referred and control) for the total and sub-category scores for both the age groups and the total group.ConclusionsBased on the preliminary psychometric evidence, it appears that the Little DCDQ meets many of the necessary standards for validity and reliability as a screening instrument, and shows promise as a useful clinical and research tool.

Research highlights► The suitability of the items of the DCDQ’07 for 3- and 4-year-old children was assessed. ► New items were developed to assess motor coordination in young preschoolers. ► The final items of the Little DCDQ screening questionnaire were selected. ► The initial psychometric properties of the Little DCDQ were tested on a sample of Israeli children. ► The Little DCDQ has validity and reliability and shows promise as a clinical and research tool.