Perceptrrcll and Motor Skills, 1979, 48, 156. @ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1979
COMPARISON OF T W O TESTS OF VISUAL-MOTOR SKILL BETH L. FINEBERG, STEPHEN K. SOWARDS A N D GLORIA M C VAY COCHRAN
Gallahrbe Mental Health Center, Indiampolis, Indiana The Bender-Gestalt test and the Beery-Buktenica Test of Visual-Motor Integration are frequently used for screening visual-motor skills of children. Because these tests are often used interchangeably in screening, it is imporrant to obtain data supporting their comparabiliry. However, only one such published study was found. Krauft and Krauft ( 3 ) reported a correlation of .63 between [he Beery and Bender developmental age scores for a sample of 24 mentally rerarded children. The collection of additional comparative data from a mental health sample was the purpose of the present study. Subjects were tested to assess the learning difficulties for which they were referred. There were 3 girls and 18 boys (mental health outpatients) age 8 yr.-6 mo. to 15-11 with a mean of 11.2 yr. Their mean IQ from individually or group-administered rests was 93, with a range of 78 to 124. One of three clinicians administered both the Beery and Bender to any given subject. Order of test presentation was left to the judgment of the individual clinician. Independently, two clinicians scored both the Beery ( 1 ) and the Bender ( 2 ) tests. Errors were translated into developmental age scores after discrepancies were reconciled by the two clinicians through discussion. ,002). Developmental age scores from the Beery and Bender correlated .67 ( f i This value is quite similar to the correlation of .63 reported by Krauft and Krauft ( 1 9 7 2 ) and indicates approximately 45% of the variance among scores o n one of the tests can be accounted for by the scores on the other test. This finding conforms with predictions based o n the assumption the two tests assess like abilities and supports moderately their concurrent validity. Some difference between the developmental age scores was noted. As predicted from clinical experience, the Bender consistently yielded higher develop.025, one-tailed). The mean differmental age scores than the Beery (15 = 2.43, p ence between the two tests was .90 yr., and the estimated standard deviation of the mean difference was .37. While the two tests seem to tap the same general area of ability, their interchangeable use may produce problems as higher estimates are based on the Bender. Ocher data analyses were performed. Alrhough intertest comparisons were done with reconciled developmental age scores, interrater reliabilities on the original independent ratings of errors were computed and yielded Pearson product-moment correlations of .73 for the Bender and .81 for the Beery. Chronological age and 1Q were correlated with developmental age scores. As predicted, there was no significant difference between correlations of Bender and Beery scores with age (Beery r = .37, p . l o ; Bender T = .56, p < . 0 1 ) . There also was no significant difference in correlations of these scores with IQ (Beery T = .42, p . l o ; Benders = .26, p .02). Intertest correlations tentatively suggest considerable overlap in areas assessed. However, there appear to be mean differences between the developmental age scores from the two tests which must be considered in rest interpretation by a clinician.
COMPARISON OF T W O TESTS OF VISUAL-MOTOR SKILL BETH L. FINEBERG, STEPHEN K. SOWARDS A N D GLORIA M C VAY COCHRAN
Gallahrbe Mental Health Center, Indiampolis, Indiana The Bender-Gestalt test and the Beery-Buktenica Test of Visual-Motor Integration are frequently used for screening visual-motor skills of children. Because these tests are often used interchangeably in screening, it is imporrant to obtain data supporting their comparabiliry. However, only one such published study was found. Krauft and Krauft ( 3 ) reported a correlation of .63 between [he Beery and Bender developmental age scores for a sample of 24 mentally rerarded children. The collection of additional comparative data from a mental health sample was the purpose of the present study. Subjects were tested to assess the learning difficulties for which they were referred. There were 3 girls and 18 boys (mental health outpatients) age 8 yr.-6 mo. to 15-11 with a mean of 11.2 yr. Their mean IQ from individually or group-administered rests was 93, with a range of 78 to 124. One of three clinicians administered both the Beery and Bender to any given subject. Order of test presentation was left to the judgment of the individual clinician. Independently, two clinicians scored both the Beery ( 1 ) and the Bender ( 2 ) tests. Errors were translated into developmental age scores after discrepancies were reconciled by the two clinicians through discussion. ,002). Developmental age scores from the Beery and Bender correlated .67 ( f i This value is quite similar to the correlation of .63 reported by Krauft and Krauft ( 1 9 7 2 ) and indicates approximately 45% of the variance among scores o n one of the tests can be accounted for by the scores on the other test. This finding conforms with predictions based o n the assumption the two tests assess like abilities and supports moderately their concurrent validity. Some difference between the developmental age scores was noted. As predicted from clinical experience, the Bender consistently yielded higher develop.025, one-tailed). The mean differmental age scores than the Beery (15 = 2.43, p ence between the two tests was .90 yr., and the estimated standard deviation of the mean difference was .37. While the two tests seem to tap the same general area of ability, their interchangeable use may produce problems as higher estimates are based on the Bender. Ocher data analyses were performed. Alrhough intertest comparisons were done with reconciled developmental age scores, interrater reliabilities on the original independent ratings of errors were computed and yielded Pearson product-moment correlations of .73 for the Bender and .81 for the Beery. Chronological age and 1Q were correlated with developmental age scores. As predicted, there was no significant difference between correlations of Bender and Beery scores with age (Beery r = .37, p . l o ; Bender T = .56, p < . 0 1 ) . There also was no significant difference in correlations of these scores with IQ (Beery T = .42, p . l o ; Benders = .26, p .02). Intertest correlations tentatively suggest considerable overlap in areas assessed. However, there appear to be mean differences between the developmental age scores from the two tests which must be considered in rest interpretation by a clinician.
