Psychometric Properties of Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control in Infants and Toddlers With Down Syndrome

Purpose: This study investigated infants and toddlers with Down syndrome (DS) to determine: reliability of the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo), concurrent validity of the SATCo with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and whether age and SATCo score predict GMFM score.

Methods: Eighteen infants and toddlers with DS were tested on the SATCo by 2 physical therapist (PT) raters. One PT rater administered the GMFM. After 2 weeks, PT raters rescored their recorded SATCo sessions. A third PT rater also scored the SATCo videos.

Results: Interrater reliability of the SATCo was moderate to good and intrarater reliability was good to excellent. The SATCo and the GMFM had good to excellent significant correlations. Age and SATCo score were significant predictors of the GMFM.

Conclusions: Trunk control appears to play a central role in gross motor function of infants and toddlers with DS. The SATCo has good psychometric properties in this population.

What This Adds To The Evidence: This study contributes to the literature on the psychometric properties of the SATCo and supports its use to measure trunk control in infants and toddlers with DS between the ages of 6 and 24 months.