Development and psychometric properties of the Italian little developmental coordination disorder questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT)

Abstract

Background

Early identification of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in children is fundamental to provide the best chance of improving their outcomes. The Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ) is a screening tool to identify preschool children who may warrant a diagnosis of DCD.

Aims

This study conducted a transcultural translation and adaptation of the Italian version of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT) and evaluated the psychometric properties of the tool, establishing also the optimal cut-off scores.

Methods and procedures

Parents/carers of 3- and 4-year-old Italian preschoolers completed the LDCDQ-IT (n = 352 typically developing children; n = 24 children at risk for motor coordination problems). One sub-sample (n = 52) completed the LDCDQ-IT a second time; another sub-sample (n = 90) was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2).

Results

The LDCDQ-IT showed high internal consistency (α=0.96) and good test–retest reliability. Children’s age and gender did not influence total scores. Correlations obtained between the LDCDQ-IT and MABC-2 total scores (r = 0.52, p < 0.001) suggest concurrent validity of the LDCDQ-IT. Using a cut-off score of ≤ 65, overall sensitivity and specificity were 79 % and 75 % respectively. Conclusions and implications: The LDCDQ-IT demonstrates promising psychometric properties, making it a useful tool for the early identification of DCD.

What this paper adds?

This study provides valuable insights into the psychometric properties and cut-off point for the Italian Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT), a screening tool for identifying potential motor coordination problems in 3- and 4-year-old children. We observed good evidence of reliability, concurrent, and discriminative validity, proving that it may be a helpful questionnaire for assessing daily motor skills.