AIM To examine the extent to which estimates of a latent trait or underlying construct of motor ability differ in infants born at term and preterm, based on caregiver ratings of the motor domain of PediaTrac v3.0. METHOD The sample consisted of 571 caregiver-infant dyads (331 born at term, 240 born preterm), 48% female, with 51.7% of caregivers identifying as an ethnic minority. Latent trait of motor ability was estimated based on item response theory modeling. Gestational group differences (term and preterm birth) were examined at the newborn/term-equivalent, 2-, 4-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month time points. RESULTS Caregiver ratings of latent trait of motor ability were reliably modeled across the range of abilities at each time point. While the group born preterm exhibited significantly more advanced motor abilities at the term-equivalent time point, by 6 months the group born at term was more advanced. Biological sex difference main and interaction effects were not significant. INTERPRETATION Caregivers provided reliable, longitudinal estimates of motor ability in infancy, reflecting important differences in the motor development of infants born at term and preterm. The findings suggest that significant motor development occurs in infants born preterm from birth to the term-equivalent time point and provide a foundation to examine motor growth trajectories as potential predictors in the early identification of neurodevelopmental conditions and needs.

中文翻译：

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纵向护理人员报告的足月和早产婴儿的运动发育。

目的 根据 PediaTrac v3.0 的护理人员对运动领域的评分，检查足月儿和早产儿对潜在特征或运动能力潜在结构的估计差异程度。方法 样本由 571 名照顾者-婴儿二人组成（331 名足月出生，240 名早产），其中 48% 为女性，其中 51.7% 的照顾者为少数族裔。基于项目反应理论模型估计运动能力的潜在特征。在新生儿/足月当量、2、4、6、9 和 12 个月时间点检查妊娠组差异（足月和早产）。结果 在每个时间点的能力范围内，对护理人员对运动能力潜在特征的评级进行了可靠的建模。虽然早产组在足月相当时间点表现出明显更先进的运动能力，但到 6 个月时，足月出生组的运动能力更先进。生物性别差异主效应和交互效应均不显着。解释 护理人员对婴儿期运动能力提供了可靠的纵向估计，反映了足月儿和早产儿运动发育的重要差异。研究结果表明，早产儿从出生到足月相当的时间点发生了显着的运动发育，并为检查运动生长轨迹作为早期识别神经发育状况和需求的潜在预测因子提供了基础。