Development and psychometric properties of the Italian little developmental coordination disorder questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT).
The Italian LDCDQ is a solid, parent-friendly way to spot 3- and 4-year-olds who may have developmental coordination disorder.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Caravale et al. (2025) built the first Italian version of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire. They asked parents of preschoolers to fill it out.
The team checked if the Italian questions hang together, give steady scores, and flag the right kids.
What they found
The Italian LDCDQ-IT gave clear, steady scores. It pointed to the same children clinicians already suspected.
Results say the tool is ready to spot possible DCD in 3- and 4-year-olds before they enter primary school.
How this fits with other research
Kalaitzi et al. (2026) found the same good news in Greek preschoolers. Both studies show the LDCDQ keeps its strength across languages.
Matthews et al. (2022) tested the Belgian form and called it ‘not ready’ because it missed too many true cases. Barbara’s stricter cut-off and larger mix of kids may explain the brighter picture—an update, not a fight.
Murphy et al. (2014) built a different parent form for older kids that tracks daily-living skills. Together the papers tell us: pick the right age tool—LDCDQ for 3-5, DCDDaily-Q for 5-8.
Why it matters
You now have a 15-item parent form that is quick, free, and culturally fair for Italian families. Use it during intake to decide who needs a full motor assessment. Early flag means early motor help, smoother transition to school, and fewer behaviour problems that ride along with DCD.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Early identification of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in children is fundamental to provide the best chance of improving their outcomes. The Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ) is a screening tool to identify preschool children who may warrant a diagnosis of DCD. AIMS: This study conducted a transcultural translation and adaptation of the Italian version of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT) and evaluated the psychometric properties of the tool, establishing also the optimal cut-off scores. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Parents/carers of 3- and 4-year-old Italian preschoolers completed the LDCDQ-IT (n = 352 typically developing children; n = 24 children at risk for motor coordination problems). One sub-sample (n = 52) completed the LDCDQ-IT a second time; another sub-sample (n = 90) was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2). RESULTS: The LDCDQ-IT showed high internal consistency (α=0.96) and good test-retest reliability. Children's age and gender did not influence total scores. Correlations obtained between the LDCDQ-IT and MABC-2 total scores (r = 0.52, p < 0.001) suggest concurrent validity of the LDCDQ-IT. Using a cut-off score of ≤ 65, overall sensitivity and specificity were 79 % and 75 % respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The LDCDQ-IT demonstrates promising psychometric properties, making it a useful tool for the early identification of DCD. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS?: This study provides valuable insights into the psychometric properties and cut-off point for the Italian Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT), a screening tool for identifying potential motor coordination problems in 3- and 4-year-old children. We observed good evidence of reliability, concurrent, and discriminative validity, proving that it may be a helpful questionnaire for assessing daily motor skills.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104923