Effectiveness of Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2 as an Outcome Measure: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This review aimed to assess the utility of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2 (PDMS-2) as an outcome measure for evaluating the motor performance of children. A comprehensive search strategy was employed, utilizing Google Scholar, PubMed, and PEDro databases from 2010 to April 2021, focusing on studies incorporating PDMS-2 in pediatric physical therapy. Text words and medical subject headings terms guided the search process. Nineteen selected studies underwent evaluation using the PEDro checklist, where scores ranged from 0 to 10. Scores of 0–3 were deemed poor, 4–5 fair, 6–8 good, and 9–10 excellent. Results revealed varying levels of methodological quality among the studies: 3 scored fair (5/10), 3 scored good (6/10), and 8 achieved a good rating (8/10). Furthermore, 4 studies received a high rating (9/10), while 1 study attained an excellent score (10/10). These scores reflected the internal and structural validity of the individual studies. The synthesis of findings suggests that PDMS-2 emerges as a reliable and valid assessment tool for measuring motor proficiency in children. Notably, the test’s ease of administration further enhances its broad feasibility. In conclusion, PDMS-2 proves to be an efficient outcome measure, exhibiting potential for evaluating improvements in motor skills and overall developmental progress in children.