Nadia Cristina Valentini1, Raquel Saccani. 1. Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. nadiacv@esef.ufrgs.br
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a well-known motor assessment tool used to identify potential delays in infants' motor development. Although Brazilian researchers and practitioners have used the AIMS in laboratories and clinical settings, its translation to Portuguese and validation for the Brazilian population is yet to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to translate and validate all AIMS items with respect to internal consistency and content, criterion, and construct validity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional and longitudinal design was used. METHODS: A cross-cultural translation was used to generate a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the AIMS. In addition, a validation process was conducted involving 22 professionals and 766 Brazilian infants (aged 0-18 months). RESULTS: The results demonstrated language clarity and internal consistency for the motor criteria (motor development score, α=.90; prone, α=.85; supine, α=.92; sitting, α=.84; and standing, α=.86). The analysis also revealed high discriminative power to identify typical and atypical development (motor development score, P<.001; percentile, P=.04; classification criterion, χ(2)=6.03; P=.05). Temporal stability (P=.07) (rho=.85, P<.001) was observed, and predictive power (P<.001) was limited to the group of infants aged from 3 months to 9 months. LIMITATIONS: Limited predictive validity was observed, which may have been due to the restricted time that the groups were followed longitudinally. CONCLUSIONS: In sum, the translated version of AIMS presented adequate validity and reliability.
BACKGROUND: The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a well-known motor assessment tool used to identify potential delays in infants' motor development. Although Brazilian researchers and practitioners have used the AIMS in laboratories and clinical settings, its translation to Portuguese and validation for the Brazilian population is yet to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to translate and validate all AIMS items with respect to internal consistency and content, criterion, and construct validity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional and longitudinal design was used. METHODS: A cross-cultural translation was used to generate a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the AIMS. In addition, a validation process was conducted involving 22 professionals and 766 Brazilian infants (aged 0-18 months). RESULTS: The results demonstrated language clarity and internal consistency for the motor criteria (motor development score, α=.90; prone, α=.85; supine, α=.92; sitting, α=.84; and standing, α=.86). The analysis also revealed high discriminative power to identify typical and atypical development (motor development score, P<.001; percentile, P=.04; classification criterion, χ(2)=6.03; P=.05). Temporal stability (P=.07) (rho=.85, P<.001) was observed, and predictive power (P<.001) was limited to the group of infants aged from 3 months to 9 months. LIMITATIONS: Limited predictive validity was observed, which may have been due to the restricted time that the groups were followed longitudinally. CONCLUSIONS: In sum, the translated version of AIMS presented adequate validity and reliability.