Abstract
Objective: The Prechtl’s general movement assessment (GMA) has been established as the most valid tool in early detection of cerebral palsy. GMA is based on a global gestalt perception and it involves the individual’s judgement for assessment. Interobserver variability can affect the results and has cascading effects on the child’s prognosis. The objective of the present study is to establish interobserver agreement between a novice rater and an expert. Study Design: Video recordings of 50 infants (corrected gestational age 29 weeks to post term age 20 weeks) were assessed by the 2 raters. Raters used an interactive process to interpret terms used in GMA and technical aspects of recording as a preliminary study. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kappa statistics were utilized to assess the reliability. Results: Interobserver agreement in the assessment of the total “motor optimality score” was excellent between both the raters, as ICC was 0.96. Good-to-high interobserver reliability was found in the assessment of “fidgety movements” (Cohen’s kappa 0.727). Conclusion: Interobserver reliability between a novice rater and an expert was excellent for total motor optimality score in all age groups (preterm, writhing, and fidgety).
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