Supplement to the four-item symmetry score for investigation of postural and movement asymmetries in infants: responsiveness, sensitivity, specificity

Background and objective The aim of the study is to analyze the psychometric data of the four-item symmetry score with regard to responsiveness, sensitivity, and specificity according to the COSMIN recommendations. Materials and methods The examination protocols of 38 infants from a previously published pilot study were re-evaluated and the examiners’ assessments were compared with the results of the four-item symmetry score. The McNemar test was used to calculate the responsiveness. The data from the validity study were used to determine specificity and sensitivity. Results The four-item symmetry score can be considered robust, with a significance of 0.248 in the McNemar test, a sensitivity of 83%, and a specificity of 85%. Conclusion The four-item symmetry score fulfills the criteria of the COSMIN recommendations and is suitable for the identification and follow-up of infants with postural and movement asymmetries at the age of 14–24 weeks.