Assessment of Movement Skill Performance in Preschool Children: Convergent Validity Between MOT 4-6 and M-ABC.

The purpose was to determine the level of agreement between the Motoriktest für Vier- bis Sechsjährige Kinder [MOT 4-6] and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children [M-ABC]. 48 preschool children participated in the study (Mean age = 5 years, 6 months, SD = 3 months). There was high classification agreement (90%) between both tests. A Kappa correlation coefficient (0.67) provided moderately strong support for convergent validity. Less agreement was shown in identification of motor difficulties (58%). This was reflected by lower correlation coefficients on the fine movement cluster and test item level. The MOT 4-6 showed values within the range of similar movement skill performance assessment protocols. Because of its specific focus it may be of meaningful value to assess movement skill competence in typically developing preschool children (ages 4 to 6). Key pointsThe Motoriktest für Vier- bis Sechsjährige Kinder (MOT 4-6) showed values within the range of similar motor performance tests. Because of its specific focus it may be of great value to assess movement skill competence in typically developing preschool children (ages 4 to 6).Children's movement skill competence can be expressed as a single composite score. The results from this study also support the use of composite scores that include functional categorization (e.g. locomotion, object control and stability).