The Democritos Movement Screening Tool for Preschool Children (DEMOST-PRE©): development and factorial validity.
DEMOST-PRE is a quick, two-factor parent screener that flags preschool motor delays early.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built a new preschool motor screener called DEMOST-PRE. Parents answer short questions about how their child moves. The study checked if the answers group into clear factors.
What they found
Two clean factors came out: one for fine hand play and one for big body moves. The tool is ready to flag delays during regular clinic visits.
How this fits with other research
Neto et al. (2026) show that autistic preschoolers fall further behind in motor skills as they age. DEMOST-PRE gives you a quick way to catch those slips early.
Bart et al. (2010) and Rosenberg et al. (2010) also built parent checklists for preschoolers. Their tools cover daily skills and home barriers; DEMOST-PRE adds a motor lens.
Barrett et al. (2015) validated an older motor checklist for 5- to 12-year-olds. DEMOST-PRE fills the gap for younger kids who need earlier help.
Why it matters
You now have a two-minute parent form that spots fine- and gross-motor red flags before kindergarten. Use it during intake, share results with OT, and start goals sooner. Early catches mean fewer catch-up years later.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The aim of this study was (a) to develop an assessment tool (the Democritos Movement Screening Tool for Preschool Children - DEMOST-PRE), designed to provide preschool educators, clinicians and researchers with information about assessment and screening of the motor proficiency of children aged 4-6 years, as well as the development and control of movement programmes and (b) to assess its factorial validity. First, tool's content and face validity were established and its final structure was determined. Then, the DEMOST-PRE was administered to 435 children (197 girls) aged 48-71 months (M=60.48 months, SD=6.98). The factor analysis conducted revealed two distinct components. Present evidence combined with the DEMOST-PRE administrative traits make it promising for preschool aged children's assessment.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.046