STRATEGIES FOR ANALYZING INFANT AND TODDLER MOVEMENT

该项目的长期目标是更好地了解婴儿 和幼儿的运动发育。 具体目标包括发展和 验证分析运动行为的新策略，重点是 运动的质量。 运动的质量将被操作为：1）在一个 位置，2）位置内的转换，3） 单个运动事件，以及4）异常运动模式的数量。 样本将包括390名正常儿童和90名高危儿童。 分析将 专注于确定规范的运动模式，发育年龄趋势， 高风险/正常组差异和可靠性。 与传统的运动评估方法不同， 系统在自发的、自然的背景下评估运动- 发生的游戏。 运动评估涉及直接处理 孩子们一直被认为是不可靠的。 新办法 最大限度地减少检查者-被检查者交互的不可控影响 因为几乎不需要处理。 第99-457号公法的负责任执行要求可靠和 用于婴幼儿的有效观察技术。 的 拟议的研究在理论上和临床上都有意义， 在评估运动发育和预测风险方面具有价值。

The long-term objective of this project is a better understanding of infant and toddler motor development. Specific aims include the development and validation of new strategies for analyzing motor behavior with emphasis on quality of movement. Quality of movement will be operationalized as: 1) variations within a position, 2) transitions within a position, 3) complex combinations of single motor events, and 4) the number of abnormal movement patterns. The sample will be 390 normal and 90 high-risk children. Analyses will focus on determining normative motor patterns, developmental age trends, high-risk/normal group differences, and reliability. Unlike traditional approaches to motor assessment, the proposed observation system evaluates movement in the context of spontaneous, naturally- occurring play. Motor assessments that involve direct handling of the child have consistently been found to be unreliable. The new approach minimizes the uncontrolled-for effects of examiner-examinee interactions because little handling is required. The responsible implementation of Public Law 99-457 demands reliable and valid observational techniques for use with infants and toddlers. The proposed research is theoretically and clinically meaningful and likely to be of value in evaluating motor development and predicting risk.