EMI Psychometric Properties

Study Summary: Update on the EMI for Infants and Toddlers (Greenwood et al., 2018)

Purpose

To evaluate the scalability, validity, and sensitivity of the Early Movement Indicator (EMI)—a brief, play-based assessment tool used for universal screening and progress monitoring of movement skills in infants and toddlers.

Sample

Group	Details
Programs	15 early childhood programs across 6 U.S. states
	Models: Area Education Agencies, Part C, Family Centers, EHS, Community Care
Assessors	94 early childhood professionals (e.g., home visitors, PTs/OTs, teachers)
Children	628 infants/toddlers, ages 6–36 months (Mean = 18 months)
	50% male, 85% from low-income backgrounds
	15% had IFSPs; 37% of those had movement-related goals
	Home languages: 59% English, 36% Spanish, 5% other

Method

Component	Description
Assessment Tool	EMI (Early Movement Indicator), part of the IGDI suite; measures five key movement skills
Key Skills Measured	Transition in Position, Grounded Locomotion, Vertical Locomotion, Throw/Roll, Catch/Trap
Administration	6-minute play session using movement-evoking toys with a familiar adult
Scoring	Frequency counts of observed skills → Total Movement Score (movements per minute)
Certification	Assessors trained to 85% coding reliability; annual recalibration via video scoring
Data Collection	2,258 total assessments (mean = 3.6 assessments per child)
Analytic Approach	Multilevel growth curve modeling (MGCM) to examine skill trajectories and impact of moderators

Findings

Research Question	Finding
1. Scalability	EMI was successfully scaled across diverse programs and settings with support from a web-based system.
2. Sensitivity to Growth	Total Movement increased with age, showing a curvilinear growth pattern (fast early growth, then slowing).
3. Continuum of Skill Development	Key skills emerged and grew at different rates, consistent with a theoretical developmental sequence.
4. Moderators of Growth	– Gender: No significant differences

IFSP: Significant only when movement concern was documented
Home Language: Spanish/Other-language children had significantly higher movement rates at 36 months |

Implications

For Practice: EMI provides a practical, repeatable tool for tracking movement development and informing IFSPs. It enables early educators and families to make timely, data-based intervention decisions.
For Research: Future studies should work toward nationally representative benchmarks, explore links between movement and language/cognition, and examine cultural moderators.