Psychometric properties of the revised Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire

Abstract

The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) is a parent-completed measure designed to identify subtle motor problems in children of 8 to 14.6 years of age. The purpose of this study was to extend the lower age range to children aged 5 to 7 years, revise items to ensure clarity, develop new scoring, and evaluate validity of the revised questionnaire. Additional items with improved wording were generated by an expert panel. Analyses of internal consistency, factor loading, and qualitative/quantitative feedback from researchers, clinicians, and parents were used to select 15 items with the strongest psychometric properties. Internal consistency was high (alpha = .94). The expanded questionnaire was completed by the parents of 287 children, aged 5-15 years, who were typically developing. Logistic regression modeling was used to generate separate cutoff scores for three age groups (overall sensitivity = 85%, specificity = 71%). The revised DCDQ was then compared to other standardized measures in a sample of 232 children referred for therapy services. Differences in scores between children with and without DCD (p < .001) provide evidence of construct validity. Correlations between DCDQ scores and Movement Assessment Battery for Children (r = .55) and Test of Visual-Motor Integration (r = .42) scores support concurrent validity. The results provide evidence that the revised DCDQ is a valid clinical screening tool for DCD.