Standardized tests for Peds

benefits of a standardized test

objective measure to establish baseline, track progress and effectiveness of treatment, assist in setting goals, qualification for services, assist in diagnosis

criterion referenced test structures

measures performance against a fixed standard, yes or no assessment of a child’s ability to perform a skill, scoring is based on absolute versus relative standards and is primarily used to measure mastery; helpful when measuring the effectiveness of instruction and intervention, goal writing

norm-referenced test structures

assesses how a child’s performance compares to others, looks at individual performance in relation to the average performance of a large representative group, designed to delineate differences between individuals, often used for discriminitive or prognostic purposes, used to qualify children for services

common criterion referenced assessments

GMFM-88, GMRM-66, WeeFIM, PEDI-CAT

standard deviation

reoresents distance from mean

z score

amount of standard deviations away from mean

percentile rank

what percentage of people would score lower

standard error

how closely the mean of the sample represents the mean of the population, provides confidence intervals and informs MCID

characteristics of standardized tests

must be completed according to test instructions, making them especially challenging for children with motor and cognitive delays, may only use modifications when tested for validity

how does the use of validated modifications affect standardized tests

cannot compare to norms, report test scores, qualify for appropriate services

modifications that may invalidate a test

altered instructional gestures, adding demonstrations, changing order of items, modifying materials

should you use age equivalents

not really

AIMS

motor skill assessment for infants up to 18 months, looks at infant movement in supine, prone, seated, and standing positions and responding to environment

AIMS scoring

all items are worth 1 point, a score below 10th percentile at age 4 months or below the 5th percentile at 8 months indicates a developmental delay

when do children not receive credit on AIMS

if you facilitate movements, if the caregiver reports a movement but you do not observe it

correcting for prematurity

do for infants born at 37 weeks or earlier until they reach 24 months, subtract weeks premature from age at assessment

how to score AIMS

first, calculate window of observation, then determine percentile ranks

how to determine window of observation in AIMS

mark and give infant credit for each skill they complete, then identify the lowest and highest observed skill

observation window skill credit

the child gets 1 point for each item in window, and 1 point for each item before lowest skill of window

basal

lowest skill in each section of AIMS

ceiling

highest skill in each section of AIMS

determining percentile ranks on AIMS

find child’s age in months without rounding up, find AIMS total score on Y axis, interpret score based on line closest to score, may report as range if between scores

peabody

assesses motor skills in children birth to 5 years

subtests of peabody

reflexes (birth to 11 months), stationary, locomotion, object manipulation (12 months and older), grasping, visual motor integration

gross motor quotient

composite of the results of reflexes, stationary, locomotion, and object manipulation subtests on peabody

fine motor quotient

composite of results of grasping and visual motor integration on peabody

total motor quotient

results of gross and fine mrtor subtests on peabody

administering peadbody

may repeat instructions up to 3 times, each item is administered until the child achieves a 2 or reaches 3 trials, note adaptations

score of 2 on peabody

the child performs the item according to the criteria specified for mastery

peabody score of 1

the child’s performance shows a clear resemblance to the item mastery criteria but does not fully meet criteria

peabody score of 0

the child cannot or will not attempt an item, or the item does not show that the skill is emerging

peabody entry points

point at which 75% of children in normative sample at that age passed, begin testing here

basal level

bottom level, achieved when child scores a 2 on 3 items in a row and then scores a 1 or 0 on the subsequent item; all items below this level are scored as a 2

ceiling level

score of 0 on three items in a row, signals end of a test

exception to entry point rule

reflex section is always given beginning at the first item

how many times should you administer the test prior to reporting a normative score?

3 times

valid modification to peabody instructions

if the child’s motor performance is suboptimal due to another NON-motor disability, the examiner may deliver exam using appropriate adaptive instructions, must report adaptations used

valid modification to peabody administration

with an infant with a known disability or neurological impairmnet, may give reflex subtest to infants >1 year or adjust entry point

how to score peabody

first tabulate a raw score, then convert to percentiles and standard scores using appendix a, then convert sums of standard scores to percentiles and quotients using appendix b scoring booklet, ceiling affect at higher ages

BOT-2

assesses motor skill in children 5 to 20 years, floor affect at lower ages

when to choose BOT vs peabody

if someone just turned 5, use peabody

administering the BOT-2

instructions may be repeated up to 3 times, usually 2 trials for each item, note adaptations made

BOT 2 entry point

chose first item in subtest you are evaluating

scoring BOT 2

record raw scores and convert to point scores using score sheet, compute subtest total point scores and convert to scale scores, then convert scale scores to composite standard scores using appendix b to calculate the total motor quotient

BOT 3

updated age range from 4 to 25 years, updated norms for more diverse population, added new items to address ceuiling affect