Reliability of Alberta Infant Motor Scale Using Recorded Video Observations Among the Preterm Infants in India: A Reliability Study

Abstract

Background: Assessment of motor function is a vital characteristic of infant development. Alberta Infant Motor scale (AIMS) is considered to be one of the tool available for screening the developmental delays, but this scale was formulated by using western samples. Every country has its own ethnic and cultural background and various differences are observed in the culture and ethnicity. Therefore, there is a need to obtain reliability for the use of AIMS in south Indian population. Purpose: To find the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) on pre-term infants using the recorded video observations in Indian population. Method: 30 preterm infants in three age groups, 0-3 months (10 infants), 4-7 months (10 infants), 8-18 months (10 infants) were recruited for this reliability study. The AIMS was administered to the preterm infants and the performance was videotaped. The performance was then rescored by the same therapist, immediately from the video and on another two consecutive months to estimate intra-rater reliability using ICC (3,1), two-way mixed effects model. For reporting inter-rater reliability, AIMS was scored by three different raters, using ICC (2,k) two-way random effects model and by two other therapists to examine the inter and intra-rater reliability. Results: The two-way mixed effects model for intra-rater reliability of AIMS, ICC (3,1) = 0.99 and for reporting inter-rater reliability of AIMS by two-way random effects model, ICC (2,k) = 0.96. Conclusion: AIMS has excellent intra and inter-rater reliability using recorded video observations among the preterm infants in India

Keywords

• Infant Development
• Preterm Birth
• Reliability of Results
• Reproducibility of Findings