The Comparison of Performances of Preschool Children on Two Motor Assessments

Abstract

Understanding children's motor performance on different assessments is important for researchers. The Test of Gross Motor Development–2 (TGMD–2) and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children–2 (MABC–2) are motor assessments that use either a process- or product-oriented scoring approach. However, no studies have examined how performances are related to these two types of assessment. This study compared the performance of preschool children on the TGMD–2 and the MABC–2. 32 children (M age = 4.2 yr., SD = 9) completed each test to assess whether each described motor performance similarly. Significant low to moderate Spearman's rank correlations (r² range = .13–.40) were found between the subscales of the assessments. A related-samples Wilcoxon signed rank test was not significant between total performances on the TGMD–2 and MABC–2. From a practical standpoint, each assessment provides a similar overall description of motor competence in preschool children. However, each assessment results in scores that present different information about motor performance.