The psychometric properties and feasibility of the Alberta infant motor scale used in telehealth: A scoping review

Background: Telehealth can be a viable option for improving equitable access to early motor assessment for financially vulnerable individuals.

Aim: This review aimed to identify the psychometric properties of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) when applied via telehealth and assess its feasibility.

Methods: Papers were systematically retrieved from electronic databases until October 4, 2023. We included studies that assessed the motor development of infants using the AIMS through telehealth.

Results: Thirteen studies, encompassing 897 infants (449 male and 396 female), were included in this review. Among them, 805 were typical infants and 92 were at risk of motor delay. The age range of participants spanned from 4.9 weeks to 20 months. The studies found good concurrent validity between telehealth and in-person assessments (ICC > 0.98, SEM < 1.6, mean difference = 0.5) and good to excellent reliability (ICC > 0.80) using home videos recorded by parents or video calls with researchers. Telehealth was perceived as feasible by parents, who expressed high satisfaction, and the quality of images and assessments met commendable standards.

Conclusion: Considering the limited number of studies that have assessed infants with neuromotor disorders, this scale has the potential for telehealth application in evaluating typical infants.