Assessing children at risk in the United Arab Emirates: Validation of the Arabic version of the Motor Behaviour Checklist (MBC) for use in primary school settings.
UAE teachers can now screen for motor and behavior red flags in Arabic with a one-page checklist that spots autism, ADHD, and sex differences.
01Research in Context
What this study did
UAE teachers needed a quick way to spot motor and behavior problems in grades 1-6. Efstratopoulou et al. (2023) translated the Motor Behaviour Checklist into Arabic and tested it in regular classrooms.
They asked teachers to rate pupils with and without autism or ADHD. The team checked if the Arabic scores looked like the original English ones.
What they found
The Arabic MBC kept the same factor structure. It cleanly split boys from girls and flagged students with autism or ADHD versus neurotypical peers.
In short, the checklist works in Arabic. Teachers can trust the scores to signal who needs a closer look.
How this fits with other research
El-Keshky et al. (2015) found the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire also works best in a short three-factor form for Arab teachers. Both studies tell us: keep teacher checklists simple when working in Arabic schools.
Barrett et al. (2015) validated the Italian DCDQ for motor issues in 5- to 12-year-olds. Maria’s team now gives Arabic-speaking teachers a similar tool for the same age band.
Neto et al. (2026) showed autistic kids in Brazil fall further behind in motor skills as they move through school. The new Arabic MBC can catch these delays early in UAE classrooms before the gap widens.
Why it matters
If you work in UAE primary schools, you now have a free, fast, Arabic checklist. Give it to any teacher who says, "Something seems off with this child’s movement or behavior." The score tells you whether to refer for OT, PT, or ABA. No English needed, no long forms, and the norms fit local kids.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The Motor Behaviour Checklist (MBC) was designed to assist classroom and physical education (PE) teachers in assessing their students' motor-related behaviours. Studies on identification and behaviour problems among children in classrooms are rare in the Arabian context, including in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). AIM: This study examines the structural and discriminant validity of the Arabic version of the MBC and assesses the effects of gender, age and type of disability on children's behaviour. METHODS: Three groups of children (N = 304) aged 6-12 years were rated by their teachers based on 59 items in the Arabic version of the MBC. RESULTS: The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as a configural invariance analysis of the data, indicated that the Arabic version of the MBC is a valid measurement for assessing behavioural problems in children in the UAE. The results of the multivariate analysis of variance showed gender differences among the children rated by their teachers; the boys in the sample scored higher on all problem scales. The results also showed differences according to the type of disability: children with autism spectrum disorder and attention disorder hyperactivity disorder scored higher than their typically developing peers on most of the problem scales. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study provide theoretical support for the use of MBC as a valid instrument to assess children at risk in the UAE. The implications of the study and recommendations for tailored interventions in children with diverse needs and characteristics are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2023 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104489