Design and validation of a psychomotor profile evaluation scale in early childhood education

Abstract

The lack of evaluation scales of psychomotricity in Early Childhood Education that need in the motor development by evolutionary stage and present a reduced extension of items raises the need to stress on this aspect. The objective of the present study was to design and validate a psychomotor profile evaluation scale in preschool children aged from 3 to 5 years old. The evaluation scale is based on 17 items grouped in 7 dimensions. The content of the scale was validated through the considerations of 6 expert judges, as well as the validity of understanding through 10 preschool teachers. In the same way, a pilot study was carried out, in which the scale of evaluation was applied to 77 participants who were 3, 4 and 5 years old of Early Childhood Education of the "Primary and Secondary Education School Jacinto Benavente" and “Private Center of Education Monteazahar” located in Murcia. The Aiken V values in the content assessment reflected an average score of 0.777 for most items on the three scales, which had to be revised and modified. The students of the school "Jacinto Benavente" showed better ratings than in the "Monteazahar" school. Besides, it was observed that the results among 4-year-old students were the highest versus 3 and 5 years old respectively. As the first phase of the validation process, this evaluation scale must carry on developing until it obtains values that guarantee its purpose.