Abstract
ObjectiveTo identify, synthesise and evaluate studies that investigated the reliability of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) variants.MethodsA systematic search was employed to identify studies that have investigated internal consistency, inter-rater, intra-rater and test-retest reliability of the TGMD variants through Scopus, Pubmed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Sport Discus and Web of Science databases.ResultsOf the 265 studies identified, 23 were included. Internal consistency, evaluated in 14 studies, confirming good-to-excellent consistency for the overall score and general motor quotient (GMQ), and acceptable-to-excellent levels in both subscales (locomotor and ball skills). Inter-rater reliability, evaluated in 19 studies, showing good-to-excellent intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) values in locomotor skills score, ball skills score, overall score, and GMQ. Intra-rater reliability, evaluated in 13 studies, displaying excellent ICC values in overall score and GMQ, and good-to-excellent ICC values in locomotor skills score and ball skills score. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 15 studies with 100% of the statistics reported above the threshold of acceptable reliability when ICC was not used. Studies with ICC statistic showed good-to-excellent values in ball skills score, overall score, and GMQ; and moderate-to-excellent values in locomotor skills score.ConclusionsOverall, the results of this systematic review indicate that, regardless of the variant of the test, the TMGD has moderate-to-excellent internal consistency, good-to-excellent inter-rater reliability, good-to-excellent intra-rater reliability, and moderate-to-excellent test-retest reliability. Considering the few high-quality studies in terms of internal consistency, it would be recommend to carry out further studies in this field to improve their quality. Since there is no gold standard for assessing FMS, TGMD variants could be appropriate when opting for a psychometrical robust test. However, standardized training protocols for coding TGMD variants seem to be necessary both for researchers and practitioners in order to ensure acceptable reliability.
Highlights
Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are considered to be the “building blocks” for more developmentally advanced, complex movements essential for adequate participation in many organised and non-organised games, sports, or other specific physical activity [1,2,3]
Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 15 studies with 100% of the statistics reported above the threshold of acceptable reliability when intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was not used
Considering the few high-quality studies in terms of internal consistency, it would be recommend to carry out further studies in this field to improve their quality
Summary
Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are considered to be the “building blocks” for more developmentally advanced, complex movements essential for adequate participation in many organised and non-organised games, sports, or other specific physical activity [1,2,3]. FMS assessment tools can be broadly classified into two categories: quantity/product-oriented tests or quality/process-oriented tests [4, 9]. Process-oriented assessment techniques evaluate the presence or absence of movement patterns demonstrated by a child providing qualitative information on children’s motor competence that can be used for design and planning interventions [9, 11]. Among process-oriented assessment tools, the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) and its variants (Test of Gross Motor Development–Second Edition [TGMD-2] and Test of Gross Motor Development–Third Edition [TGMD-3]) are, probably, the most frequently used technique for measuring FMS proficiency in educational, clinical, and research settings because of their low cost and feasibility [12,13,14,15]. The TGMD is a normative and criterion-based assessment designed to qualitatively evaluate the gross motor skill performance of children between the ages of 3 to years and months, with and without disabilities [13,14,15]
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