Perceptual-Motor Skills
Chapter 15
The Bender Visual-Motor Gesalt Test (BVMGT)
Family
History/Description
 Originally the work of Lauretta Bender (1938) Test was
based on accuracy of reproducing 9 geometric shapes
 Elizabeth 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 Edition
Why? 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 on
1. 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