Long-Term Object Permanence and Sitting in Infants with Motor Delays

Presenter Information

Karl Jancart - Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education

Amber Deprince - Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Melanie Tommer - Department of Physical Therapy

Jessica Spirnak - Department of Physical Therapy

Claire Boe - Department of Physical Therapy

Regina Harbourne - Department of Physical Therapy

Abstract

This study investigated the development of Object Permanence (OP) in infants with varying levels of motor delays and the relationship between sitting skill development and OP skill over time. Infants (n = 37; baseline mean age = 12mos, 14dys), stratified into groups of mild, moderate, and significant motor delay, participated in a randomized controlled trial (Harbourne et al, 2018). Children were assessed at baseline, 1.5-mos, 3-mos, 6-mos and 12-mos. OP behaviors were coded on a 20-point ordinal scale using Datavyu software. Sitting skill was measured using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88, sitting dimension (GMFM-SD). A Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction indicated significant differences between the 3 groups’ OP scores at all 5 assessments. Dunn’s post hoc test showed significant differences between the mild and significant and the moderate and significant groups for OP scores at each visit. Spearman’s rho statistic showed significant positive correlations between OP and GMFM-SD scores. Correlations of change scores for OP and GMFM-SD between baseline and 6-months, and between baseline and 12-months, revealed weak positive correlations for 6- and 12-months assessments, which suggests non-linear progressions of skills.

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts; Rangos School of Health Sciences; School of Education

Advisor

Regina Harbourne

Submission Type

Poster

Publication Date

2021