Perceptual-Motor Skills

Chapter 15

The Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test (BVMGT) Family

History/DescriptionOriginally the work of Lauretta Bender (1938) Test was

based on accuracy of reproducing 9 geometric shapesElizabeth Koppitz developed a 30 item method of scoring

the BVMGT based of 4 criteria (1963)Brannigan and Decker revised the original BVMGT by

adding 7 new designs and using holistic scoring, referred to as BVMGT-2 (2003)

Reynold used Koppitz scoring system to score 16 design test (BVMGT-2) and produced the Koppitz Developmental Scoring System

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd EditionWhy? Who?

• Students may need instruction to remediate visual or auditory problems BEFORE they interfere with learning.

• Students demonstrating learning problems in school will be assessed to determine if there is poor perceptual motor abilities also

• Perceptual Motor screening help determine if a student is eligible for Special Education and/or a Perceptual Motor problem coexists with a learning problem

• Perceptual Motor tests are used to diagnose brain injury or emotional disturbances

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Types• The Bender Visual- Motor Gesalt Test Family

Bender Visual-Motor Desalt Test Second Edition

• Koppitz-2 Scoring System for BVMGT-2• Developmental Test of Visual-Motor

Integration (Beery VMI)

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Purpose: • Assess visual-motor integration skills of individuals

ages 4-85 years old.• Consists of:

Copying Test- tests ability to reproduce individual designs

3 Supplementary Subtests

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Process• Copying Tests

2 sets of designs 13 designs for children under 8, 12 designs for 8 yrs. or older

(2 sets have 8 common designs) Untimed

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Process (cont)• 3 Supplemental Tests

Recalling Designs: designs have been copied and removed, testers must reproduce as many as can be remembered in an untimed situation.

Motor: testers must connect dots without lifting pencils in a 4 minute time period (4 test items with 3 figures each)

Perception: Tester must match 10 items with multiple choice options in a 4 minute time period.

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Scoring• Copied and Recall: Holistically on 5 point scale

0= no resemblance 1= slight/vague 2= some/moderate resemblance 3= strong/close resemblance 4= nearly perfect

Scores are converted to standard and percentiles• Motor and Perception: Pass or Fail

Scores are percentiles

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Strengths• Reliability: Copying-Corrected split half

correlations (?) were used to test the consistency. Copying test indicate adequate reliable results.

• Validity: Copying-Evidence is adequate but not compelling

Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test, 2nd Edition

Weaknesses• Stability: copying and recall test was estimated

by the test-retest using the scores of testers. • Reliability: no reliable data was presented for

motor or perception subtest• This undermines the strengths of the Copying

test in making important educational decisions• Validity: No evidence demonstrates validity for

recall, motor or perception (results change w/ age)

Koppitz-2 Scoring System for the BVMGT-2

Process ∙ Designed to

- document the presence and degree of visual-motor difficulties

- identify candidates for referral -assess effectiveness of intervention

programs-research and assist in differential diagnosis

of various neuropsychological and psychological conditions

Koppitz-2

Process (cont’d.) ∙ Copy the BVMGT-2 designs then a standardized set of rules is applied to score their performance ∙ Can be as many as 5 items for each design

Koppitz-2

Scoring ∙ Scores are converted to scaled scores

- mean of 100- standard deviation of 1.5

∙ Descriptive ratings of performance- ex. Average, below average

∙ Scaled scores can be converted into- T scores, Z scores, normal curve equivalents, stanines and age

equivalents

Koppitz-2

Scoring (cont’d.) ∙ Time to complete drawings is also recorded ∙ Short completion time may reflect

- impulsive responding- problems with impulse control- problems with planning ability

Koppitz-2

Strengths ∙ Reliability- shown for sub-groups such as racial/ethnic groups and disability groups and for screening purposes ∙ Validity- scores increase with age

Koppitz-2

Weaknesses ∙ Reliability- Not reliable for diagnostic purposes

∙ Validity- the demonstration of validity is a work in progress

Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI)

Process ∙ Set of geometric forms copied on paper using pencil

- Arranged in a developmental sequence from easy to more difficult

∙ Two sets of tests- Full version- 2 yrs. to adults

- all 30 VMI forms- Short version- 2 to 7 yrs. Old

- uses 21 VMI items ∙ Can be administered individually or in while group ∙ Can be scored by teacher in apprx. 15 minutes

- designs scored pass/fail- individual protocols can be scored in a few minutes

Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI)

Scoring ∙ Two pages of scoring information for each of the 30 designs ∙ Raw score is obtained by adding the number of reproductions copied correctly before there are 3 consecutive failures

∙ Raw score can be converted into - developmental age equivalent- grade equivalent- standard score, scaled score, stanine, or percentile

Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration(Beery VMI)

Strengths ∙ Reliability- adequate reliability for screening purposes

∙Validity- evidence of validity is based on1. generating a set of hypotheses about

what performance on the test would look like if it was measuring what is intended

2. providing answers to the hypotheses

Conclusion

Which test would you use? ∙ Developmental Test of Visual- Motor Integration (Beery VMI)

- the behavior sample is limited but the VMI provides a larger sample of behavior (30 items) rather than the 9 items on the BVMGT ∙ Relatively high reliability and validity