Standardization and Validation of the TGMD-3 Malay Version for Assessing Fundamental Motor Skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/2g4k2r91Keywords:
TGMD-3, cross-cultural adaptation, Rasch analysis, motor competence, validity assessmentAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the content, language and construct validity of the Malay adaptation of the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) for assessing fundamental motor competence among Malaysian primary school children. The instrument measures two domains of gross motor proficiency, comprising six locomotor and seven manipulative skills. A structured cross-cultural adaptation framework was applied through independent forward and backward translation to preserve semantic precision, conceptual equivalence, and contextual suitability for Malaysian primary schools. The preliminary Malay version was examined by a multidisciplinary expert panel to determine content relevance using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Instructional clarity and practical applicability were subsequently assessed through Impact Score analysis involving 30 experienced Physical Education teachers from diverse school settings. All items satisfied recommended psychometric benchmarks, with I-CVI values ranging from 0.86 to 1.00 and Impact Scores exceeding 4.0, indicating strong expert consensus and high comprehensibility among practitioners. Construct validity was further examined using Rasch Model Analysis, which converted ordinal scores into interval-level measures and evaluated item functioning through fit statistics. All items demonstrated acceptable Infit and Outfit Mean Square values within the 0.5–1.5 range, confirming appropriate item functioning and hierarchical alignment between student ability and item difficulty. No substantial differential item functioning was detected across gender groups. Overall, the findings provide empirical support for the validity and measurement stability of the Malay TGMD-3. The adapted instrument offers a culturally responsive and psychometrically robust tool for systematic motor assessment, supporting evidence-based instruction and strengthening standardised Physical Education practice in Malaysian primary schools.
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