Test-Retest Reliability and Convergent Validity of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Third Edition with Australian 3-6-year-olds and Their Parents

The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) is one of the most-used motor-skill tests among children internationally. This study investigated the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of the MABC-3 Age Band One (AB1) Performance Test and the Parent/Teacher/Other Report Motor Checklist components in Australia. Twenty-four typically developing children aged 3-6 years (Mean = 4.33 years, SD = 1.12; 17 boys and seven girls) and their parent/guardian participated in the study. Raw score data were analyzed using Spearman's rho correlation (r(s)). Results indicated good test-retest reliability of the MABC-3, with strong statistically significant correlations found in the AB1 Performance Test (r(s)=.563-.897, p < 0.05; number of days apart M = 32.65, SD = 15.40) and the Motor Checklist scores (r(s)=.663-.877, p < 0.05; number of days between test-retest sessions M = 36.17, SD = 18.38). The overall correlations between the MABC-3 AB1 Performance Test items and Parent/Teacher/Other Report Motor Checklist section scores were weakly to moderately significant (Manual Dexterity r(s)=-.107-.841; Aiming and Catching r(s) = -.015 to -.555; Balance r(s) = -.749-.035, p < 0.05). Findings suggest that the MABC-3 AB1 Performance Test and Parent/Teacher/Other Report Motor Checklist exhibit reasonable test-retest reliability for assessing children's motor competence and parents' perceptions of children's motor performance in daily activities. In terms of convergent validity, moderate-level correlations were obtained between the MABC-3 AB1 Performance Test and the Parent/Teacher/Other Report Motor Checklist except for the Manual Dexterity subscale. Further investigation of the MABC-3's psychometric properties is recommended.