Test-Retest Reliability, Criterion-Related Validity, and Ecological Validity of the Test of Visual-Motor Skills, Third Edition, in Kindergarten Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

Am J Occup Ther. 2024 Jan 1;78(1):7801205030. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2024.050206.

Abstract

Importance: Establishing empirical evidence on the psychometric properties of the Test of Visual-Motor Skills (3rd ed.; TVMS-3) is helpful for guiding its use as an assessment of visual-motor integration (VMI) skills in kindergarten children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Objective: To investigate the test-retest reliability, criterion-related validity, and ecological validity of the TVMS-3 in Taiwanese kindergarten children with DCD.

Design: A nonexperimental, descriptive, correlational design.

Setting: A hospital in Central Taiwan.

Participants: Fifty-seven kindergarten children with DCD were recruited in the study.

Outcomes and measures: Intraclass correlation coefficient, percentage of minimal detectable change, and paired t test (Wilcoxon signed rank test) were used to investigate the test-retest reliability of the TVMS-3. The correlations (Pearson's r) between the TVMS-3 accuracy score and the scores of each of the four domains and the adaptive behavior composite score of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (3rd ed.; Vineland-3) were calculated, respectively, to examine criterion-related validity and ecological validity.

Results: The accuracy score of the TVMS-3 had excellent test-retest reliability and acceptable random measurement error. Moreover, it showed good criterion-related validity and sufficient ecological validity with the Vineland-3 in Taiwanese kindergarten children with DCD.

Conclusions and relevance: The accuracy score of the TVMS-3 is applicable to Taiwanese kindergarten children with DCD in clinical and research settings. Plain-Language Summary: The accuracy score of the Test of Visual-Motor Skills (3rd ed.; TVMS-3) is a useful assessment tool to detect deficits in visual-motor integration for Taiwanese kindergarten children with developmental coordination disorder. The TVMS-3 has excellent test-retest reliability, good criterion-related validity, and sufficient ecological validity.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Educational Status
  • Humans
  • Motor Skills Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Motor Skills*
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Schools