Psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Motor Observation Questionnaire for teachers (MOQ-T)

Purpose. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting 6-10% of school-aged children. DCD causes chronic motor impairments which distinguish children from their developmentally typical peers. To adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Motor Observation Questionnaire for Teachers (MOQ-T) for use in a Polish child population. 

Methods. Physical education teachers assessed a normative sample of 348 children using the MOQ-T. Internal consistency was evaluated by calculating Cronbach's alpha. Factor analysis was performed to investigate construct validity. A clinic-referred sample (n = 31) and a control group (n = 33) were recruited and concurrent validity was assessed by calculating correlations between the MOQ-T and the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK). Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis assessed discriminative validity. 

Results. Cronbach's alpha for the total MOQ-T score was 0.962. Factor analysis identified three factors: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and general motor coordination. A negative correlation between the MOQ-T and KTK scores was found in both the control and clinic-referred groups. The AUC metric for the sample was 0.96 (CI: 0.90-1.00). Sensitivity was 0.80 for total MOQ-T scores at or above 44.5 with a specificity of 94%. 

Conclusions. The psychometric properties of the MOQ-T as a DCD screening instrument in Polish school-aged children are promising. Further investigation warrants the inclusion of larger population samples and additional validity comparisons such as with the commonly used Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Second Edition).