title: Validity and reliability of the Functional Dexterity Test in children.
abstract: METHODS
  Clinical measurement study.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Functional Dexterity Test (FDT) has not been validated in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine reliability and validity of the FDT in a pediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) were used to calculate interrater and test-retest reliability in typically developing children. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to compare FDT speed with the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT) and with 2 activities of daily living tasks to establish validity in children with congenital hand differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The FDT demonstrated excellent interrater (ICC, 0.99) and test-retest (ICC, 0.90) reliability. Pearson correlation coefficients exceeded 0.67 for JHFT subsets of fine dexterity and were all less than 0.66 for JHFT subsets of gross grasp. Correlations with the activities of daily living tasks were good to excellent. FDT speeds in TD children exceeded those of children with congenital hand differences (P < .001), demonstrating discriminant validity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with congenital hand differences are often treated early in life, making it important to reliably assess hand function of these young children to distinguish developmental change from changes due to interventions. The FDT can reliably measure functional progress over time, help clinicians monitor the efficacy of treatment, and provide families realistic feedback on their child's progress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FDT is a valid and reliable instrument for the measurement of fine motor dexterity in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Camden M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Tissue
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistical Sciences, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Velleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Medicine, Galveston, TX USA.
authors.forename: Caroline W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Stegink-Jansen
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children-Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Dorit Haenosh
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Aaron
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children-Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Winthrop
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children-Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: GGogola@shrinenet.org.
authors.forename: Gloria R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gogola
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D010372:Pediatrics; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
keywords: Dexterity; Functional Dexterity Test; In-hand manipulation; Pediatric; Reliability; Validity