
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.
