The Gross Motor Performance Measure: validity and responsiveness of a measure of quality of movement.
OBJECTIVE
This article presents the results of a study to validate a measure of gross motor performance for its capacity to detect changes in the quality of movement in children with cerebral palsy aged 0 to 12 years.


METHODS
On two occasions, 4 to 6 months apart, physical therapists from three children's treatment centers assessed 106 children with cerebral palsy, 18 children who had sustained an acute head injury, and 29 nondisabled children. Validity was demonstrated by comparing changes on the measure across diagnoses, severity, and age groups.


RESULTS
Several a priori hypotheses were supported; however, relationships with parent and therapist ratings were not clearly demonstrated.


CONCLUSIONS
The measure was found to be differentially responsive to changes in "stable" and "responsive" groups.
Boyce
W F
WF
School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Gowland
C
C
Rosenbaum
P L
PL
Lane
M
M
Plews
N
N
Goldsmith
C H
CH
Russell
D J
DJ
Wright
V
V
Potter
S
S
Harding
D
D
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013997:Time Factors