Cultural relevance of fine motor domain of the ASQ in Guatemala

Abstract

Previous research suggests that the Ages and Stages Questionnaire—3rd ed. (ASQ) fine motor domain (FMD) may not be culturally relevant for developmental screening in a rural Guatemalan community, as the FMD accounts for 40% of all abnormal screenings after a needs assessment in this community. We hypothesize this is due to a lack of exposure to objects assessed in the questionnaire, such as blocks or light switches. The FMD scores of rural Guatemalan children (n = 56) participating in a child development program were compared with Spanish- and English-speaking Latinx-American children attending a US primary care clinic and screened at yearly well-child checks. Groups were matched for age gender, and socioeconomic status. Item-level analyses explored differences across the three groups. In the Guatemalan sample, the FMD abnormal score rates were 16%, 62%, and zero in the 12-, 24-, and 36-month-old children, respectively. Abnormal scores for the Guatemalan sample on the 24-month ASQ-3 significantly differed (p = .01) when compared to the Latinx-American groups. The 24-month questionnaire has more questions about objects than the 12- and 36-month questionnaires, which may explain the higher rates of abnormal scores. Developmental screening with ASQ-3 may not adequately capture the skills of children in similar communities.