Kestenberg Movement Profile and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale – Second Edition for the Early Childhood Population: A Comparative Literature Review

Author

Hannah CollinsFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-22-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Elizabeth Kellogg

Abstract

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) and physical therapy (PT) are somatic-based interventions to improve our overall well-being. The difference between the two disciplines is that DMT is focused on the mind, body, and spiritual connection, and uses movement to foster the therapeutic healing process, whereas PT is used for rehabilitation or injury prevention. Both disciplines utilize movement assessment systems to analyze and measure physicality. In DMT, said movement assessment systems measure our preferential movement patterns, whereas, in PT, they assess physical deficits. This paper explores two movement assessment systems: the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP) for DMT, and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale – Second Edition (PDMS-2) for PT. The definition, application, validity, and reliability of the two assessment systems, as well as the international applications, are explored. The overall experience of exploring the two systems is compared in the discussion section. Findings show that the KMP is a complex movement analysis tool that has the potential of unlocking the hidden meanings behind human movement patterns and preferences; however, to reach a mainstream use, the KMP must become more accessible to non-somatic-based disciplines. The PDMS-2 is a comprehensive tool to assess motor deficits of the early childhood population. Although it is accessible to a wide range of administrators, the full PDMS-2 kit is costly and only available in English. The test was not designed for children with any sort of impairments, which limits the accessibility pool. Future considerations include making the KMP materials accessible to a wider range of professions and updating the PDMS-2 kit to include multiple language options, as well as being mindful of those with diverse needs.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Collins, Hannah, "Kestenberg Movement Profile and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale – Second Edition for the Early Childhood Population: A Comparative Literature Review" (2021). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 443.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/443