Griffiths Mental Development Scales (2 - 8 years)

The Griffith Mental Development Scales (GMDS) are widely used by paediatricians and psychologists to measures the rate of development of infants and young children from birth to 8 years. The GMDS assess a child’s strengths and weaknesses in all developmental areas, and can be used to determine if a child is in need of an early intervention or a treatment program.

The six areas of development measured by the scales include:

​

Locomotor

The Locomotor sub-scale assesses gross motor skills, including the ability to balance and to co-ordinate and control movements;

​

Personal-Social

This sub-scale measures proficiency in the activities of daily living, level of independence and interaction with other children;

​

Hearing and Language

Is the assessment of hearing, expressive language and receptive language;

​

Eye and Hand Co-ordination

This sub-scale focuses on fine motor skills, manual dexterity and visual monitoring skills;

​

Performance

Performance assesses the developing ability to reason through tasks including speed of working and precision;

​

Practical Reasoning

The Practical reasoning sub-scale measures the ability of a child (2 to 8 years) to solve practical problems, understanding of basic maths concepts and understanding of moral issues.