The relationship of hearing-impaired children's scores on the Beery Visual-Motor Integration Test and the reading subtests of the American School Achievement Test

This paper discusses visual-motor tests and reading tests for hearing impaired children.

The reliability of two visual motor integration tests used with health adults

Occupational therapists often assess the visual motor integration (VMI) skills of children, adults, and the elderly, which are parts of the Body Functions and Structures of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Objective. As it is imperative that therapists use tests and measures with strong psychometric properties, this study aims to examine the reliability of two VMI tests used with adults. Method. Sixty-one healthy adults, 18 males and 43 females, with an average age of 31.82 years, completed the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (DTVMI) and the Full Range Test of Visual Motor Integration (FRTVMI). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to examine the tests’ internal consistency, while the Spearman's rho correlation was used to evaluate the test–retest reliability, intrarater reliability, and interrater reliability of the two VMI tests. Results. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the DTVMI and FRTVMI was 0.66 and 0.80, respectively. The test–retest reliability coefficient was 0.77 (p < .001) for the DTVMI and 0.61 (p < .001) for the FRTVMI. The interrater reliability correlation was significant for both DTVMI at 0.79 (p < .001) and FRTVMI at 0.80 (p < .001). The DTVMI intrarater reliability correlation result was 0.95 (p < .001) and the FRTVMI at 0.87 (p < .001). Conclusion. Overall, the DTVMI and the FRTVMI exhibited moderate to high levels of reliability when used with a sample of healthy adults. Both VMI tests appear to exhibit reasonable levels of reliability and are recommended for use with adults and the elderly.

Convergent validity of two visual motor integration tests

Background: Occupational therapists often assess visual motor integration (VMI) skills. It is, therefore, imperative that therapists use VMI tests with robust measurement properties.

Objective: This study examined the convergent validity of two VMI tests used to assess children, adolescents and adults.

Method: Three groups of healthy participants (n = 153) completed the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (DTVMI) and the Full Range Test of Visual Motor Integration (FRTVMI). Seventy-three children aged 5-10 years (37 males and 36 females; mean age 7.5 years, SD = 2.20), 19 adolescents aged 11-17 years (8 males and 11 females; 13.1 years, SD = 2.16), and 61 adults (18 males and 43 females; mean age 31.82 years, SD = 11.20) completed the DTVMI and the FRTVMI. Spearman rho correlation coefficients were used to investigate whether each pair of the VMI test scores for each of the three participant age groups were associated.

Results: The Spearman rho correlation coefficients between all three versions of the DTVMI and FRTVMI were statistically significant. For the child group, the correlation coefficient was rho = 0.70 (p<0.000), while the correlation between the VMI scores obtained by the adolescent group on the two tests was rho = 0.77 (p<0.000). For the adult participant group, the correlation coefficient between the DTVMI and the FRTVMI was rho = 0.70 (p<0.000).

Conclusion: The VMI scores obtained by the three participant age groups on the DTVMI and the FRTVMI were all significantly correlated with each other. Overall, the DTVMI and the FRTVMI exhibited large levels of convergent validity with each other, indicating that the two tests appear to measure similar visual-motor integration constructs.

The reliability of two visual motor integration tests used with children

Occupational therapists often assess the visual motor integration (VMI) skills of children and young people. It is important that therapists use tools with strong psychometric properties. This study aims to examine the reliability of 2 VMI tests. Ninety-two children between the ages of 5 and 17 years (response rate of 31%) completed 2 VMI tests: the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (DTVMI) and the Full Range Test of Visual Motor Integration (FRTVMI). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to examine the internal consistency of the 2 VMI tests whereas Spearman's rho correlation was used to evaluate the test–retest reliability, intrarater reliability, and interrater reliability of the 2 VMI tests. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the DTVMI was .82 and .72 for the FRTVMI. The test–retest reliability coefficient was .73 (p = .000) for the DTVMI and .49 (p = .05) for the FRTVMI. The interrater correlation was significant for both the DTVMI at .94 (p = .000) and FRTVMI at .68 (p = .001). The DTVMI intrarater reliability correlation result was .90 (p = .000) and the FRTVMI at .85 (p = .000). Overall, the DTVMI exhibited a higher level of reliability than the FRTVMI. Both VMI tests appear to exhibit reasonable levels of reliability and are recommended for use with children and young people.

The role of orthographic-motor integration in the production of creative and well-structured written text for students in secondary school

There is a strong relationship between orthographic-motor integration related to handwriting and students' ability to produce creative and well-structured written text. This relationship is thought to be due to the cognitive load which results when attention is required by writers to write letters and words on the page. Lack of automaticity in orthographic-motor integration means that writers do not have sufficient cognitive resources to accomplish the more demanding aspects of text production such as ideation, text monitoring, and pragmatic awareness. A systematic handwriting program can significantly improve the quality of written text by young children experiencing problems with orthographic-motor integration. This study investigated the effectiveness of a handwriting program in remediating older students' problems in orthographic-motor integration and consequently enhancing their written language skills. Two groups of students in Grades 8 and 9 were provided with either practice in handwriting or daily completion of a written journal. There were no differences between the two groups at pre-test. However, at post-test, the handwriting group had significantly higher scores in orthographic-motor integration as well as for the length and quality of the text they wrote.

A visual profile of Queensland indigenous and non-indigenous school children, and the association between vision and reading

This research investigated the prevalence of vision disorders in Queensland Indigenous primary school children, creating the first comprehensive visual profile of Indigenous children. Findings showed reduced convergence ability and reduced visual information processing skills were more common in Indigenous compared to non-Indigenous children. Reduced visual information processing skills were also associated with reduced reading outcomes in both groups of children. As early detection of visual disorders is important, the research also reviewed the delivery of screening programs across Queensland and proposed a model for improved coordination and service delivery of vision screening to Queensland school children.

A visual profile of Queensland Indigenous children

Purpose Little is known about the prevalence of refractive error, binocular vision, and other visual conditions in Australian Indigenous children. This is important given the association of these visual conditions with reduced reading performance in the wider population, which may also contribute to the suboptimal reading performance reported in this population. The aim of this study was to develop a visual profile of Queensland Indigenous children. Methods Vision testing was performed on 595 primary schoolchildren in Queensland, Australia. Vision parameters measured included visual acuity, refractive error, color vision, nearpoint of convergence, horizontal heterophoria, fusional vergence range, accommodative facility, AC/A ratio, visual motor integration, and rapid automatized naming. Near heterophoria, nearpoint of convergence, and near fusional vergence range were used to classify convergence insufficiency (CI). Results Although refractive error (Indigenous, 10%; non-Indigenous, 16%; p = 0.04) and strabismus (Indigenous, 0%; non-Indigenous, 3%; p = 0.03) were significantly less common in Indigenous children, CI was twice as prevalent (Indigenous, 10%; non-Indigenous, 5%; p = 0.04). Reduced visual information processing skills were more common in Indigenous children (reduced visual motor integration [Indigenous, 28%; non-Indigenous, 16%; p < 0.01] and slower rapid automatized naming [Indigenous, 67%; non-Indigenous, 59%; p = 0.04]). The prevalence of visual impairment (reduced visual acuity) and color vision deficiency was similar between groups. Conclusions Indigenous children have less refractive error and strabismus than their non-Indigenous peers. However, CI and reduced visual information processing skills were more common in this group. Given that vision screenings primarily target visual acuity assessment and strabismus detection, this is an important finding as many Indigenous children with CI and reduced visual information processing may be missed. Emphasis should be placed on identifying children with CI and reduced visual information processing given the potential effect of these conditions on school performance

学习困难儿童智力结构及其与心理语言、视动能力关系的研究

IQ Structure, Psycholinguistic and Visual-motor Abilities Study on Children Learning Disability TONG Fang Directed by professor Zhu Liqi (Developmental and educational psychology) ABSTRACT Objective To comprehensive analyze the IQ structures, and relationships among IQ, psychometric characteristics and visual-motor integration on children disability. At same time, to probe into the family factors that influenced IQ, psycholinguistic abilities and behavior of LD children. Method (1) Downloading the papers on children learning disability from www.cqvip.com and www.wanfangdata.com, in which, the articles were collected by key words from 1985 to 2005. To conduct meta-analysis on IQ construction, compare the case group and the control group, including full IQ, verbal and practice IQ. (2) Designed with model compared and self-compared, 59 diagnosed learning disability children, tested themes with WISC, ITPA and Berry’s VMI. WISC included 10 items, 5 of which subtotal to verbal and practice IQ respectively. IPTA included 10 items, too, 5 process of which subtotal to auditory and visual perception. The first 3 items shared representation level, the other 2 of that shared automatic level.VMI had one score. Analyzed factors and levels with description and Pearson Correlation. To probe to linguistic internal alternately functions of LD children, and compare the scores of groups in different IQ. (3) Analyzed the perspective questionnaire filled by parents. Early development facts compared with model groups. Factors relationships analyzed with Kendall correlation, KOM and Bartlett’s test of sphericity, Promax Rotation. Results: (1) There have been 319 papers related with LD, in which 36 with IQ and 14 valid reports have been analyzed by Meta. FIQ’s 95%CI (confidence interval) is 2.418 ~ 0.172, VIQ between the difficulty and non- difficulty group. C-WISC-R reports were 10 papers, of which, 95%CI of FIQ is 2.424 ~ 0.676, of VIQ is 2.314 ~ 1.196, of PIQ is 2.176 ~ 0.176. The VIQ comparing the PIQ, 95%CI is 1.1 ~ -0.07 in difficulty group and 0.5 ~ -0.0046 in non-difficult group. Nevertheless, in the other 4 tests, FIQ’s 95%CI is 2.00 ~ -0.818 between LD and NLD. (2) Children psycholinguistic abilities had strong relation with Berry’s VMI test excluding auditory reception, and with perceptive factor of intelligence excluding verbal expression. Auditory reception and visual closure had strong relation with FIQ and PIQ. Grammatic closure, visual association and manual expression had strong relation with concept factor. The representational and automatic levels are depended on integration of auditory and visual procession. Lower verbal expression (VE) let to lower expression process and low scores on representational level. Lower visual sequential memory (VSM) let to lower memory process and influenced automatic level. Groups compared by IQ 90 show that LD children with under IQ 90 had lower scores on items of IPTA than with up IQ 90 excluded verbal expression. It was proved that IQ administrated the linguistic ability. Nevertheless, general abilities deficiency didn’t show influencing on the types of the perceptive delay. There was mutual function among linguistic ability on LD children. Auditory and visual level are overlapped each other. Not only show higher Decoding and lower Encoding on Auditory perception, lower Decoding and higher Encoding on Visual perception, in representation, but also higher Sequential remember, lower Closure on Audition, and lower Sequential member, higher Closure on Vision, in Automation. Nevertheless, there was no different between Representational and Automatic level, which may be the relationship of parallel or evolution. (3) Major family factors were father’s education, occupation. Lower auditory perception related to unconcerned, lower visual perception related to premature delivery and written slowly. Threatened–abortion, childbirth-suffocated were known as influencing children’s IQ and later linguistic abilities. It wasn’t shown that dosage relationship with the types of perceptive delay. Conclusion: (1) The FIQ, VIQ and PIQ of Children with LD is lower than that of NLD group. There is no significantly different between VIQ and PIQ in LD and NLD groups. (2) The objectives of ITPA and WISC tests are differently. The psycholinguistic abilities had strong relation with perceptive factor and VMI. Some facts of IPTA related with FIQ. IQ had strong administration on linguistic abilities. There was mutual function among linguistic internal abilities. (3) Family facts on IQ and psycholinguistic abilities were Father’s education, abnormal pregnant and abortion. It would be pre-show development delay in early period.

Neonatal Ultrasound Results Following Very Preterm Birth Predict Adolescent Behavioral and Cognitive Outcome

This study investigated the association between different neonatal ultrasonographic classifications and adolescent cognitive, educational, and behavioral outcomes following very preterm birth. Participants included a group of 120 adolescents who were born very preterm (33 weeks of gestation), subdivided into three groups according to their neonatal cerebral ultrasound (US) classifications: (a) normal (N = 69), (b) periventricular hemorrhage (PVH, N = 37), and (c) PVH with ventricular dilatation (PVH + DIL, N = 14), and 50 controls. The cognitive functions assessed were full-scale IQ, phonological and semantic verbal fluency, and visual-motor integration. Educational outcomes included reading and spelling; behavioral outcomes were assessed with the Rutter Parents' Scale and the Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS). Adolescent outcome scores were compared among the four groups. A main effect for group was observed for full-scale IQ, Rutter Parents' Scale total scores, and PAS total scores, after controlling for gestational age, socioeconomic status and gender, with the PVH + DIL group showing the most impaired scores compared to the other groups. The current results demonstrate that routine neonatal ultrasound classifications are associated with later cognitive and behavioral outcome. Neonatal ultrasounds could aid in the identification of subgroups of children who are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental problems. These at risk subgroups could then be referred to appropriate early intervention services.

Handwriting Intervention: Impact on the Reading and Writing Abilities of High School Students

Handwriting is a functional task that is used to communicate thoughts using a written code. Research findings have indicated that handwriting is related to learning to read and learning to write. The purposes of this research project were to determine if a handwriting intervention would increase abilities in reading and writing skills, in graphomotor and visual-motor integration skills, and improve the participants’ self-perceptions and self-descriptions pertaining to handwriting enjoyment, competence, and effort. A single-subject research design was implemented with four struggling high school students who each received 10.5 to 15.5 hours of cursive handwriting intervention using the ez Write program. In summary, the findings indicated that the students showed significant improvements in aspects of reading and writing; that they improved significantly in their cursive writing abilities; and that their self-perceptions concerning their handwriting experience and competence improved. The contribution of handwriting to academic achievement and vocational success can no longer be neglected.

Diminution de la performance motrice du membre ipsilatéral au site de l’accident vasculaire cérébral lors de tâches bilatérales

Suite à un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC), des déficits au membre controlatéral et ipsilatéral à la lésion cérébrale sont observés chez les personnes avec un AVC. La performance du membre ipsilatéral est déterminée par l’importance de la sévérité clinique du membre controlatéral ainsi que par l’adéquation du traitement bihémisphérique des informations sensori-motrices. L’objectif de la présente étude est de comparer la performance motrice de la main ipsilatérale lors de diverses tâches nécessitant un niveau plus ou moins complexe de traitement de l’information chez une clientèle hémiplégique ayant une faible sévérité clinique. Les résultats démontrent que les forces de pinces entre le pouce et l’index du membre ipsilatéral sont modulées et anticipées adéquatement chez les personnes avec un AVC ayant une faible sévérité clinique tel que démontré par des scores de cinq ou plus au Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment (modules bras et main). La performance motrice du membre ipsilatéral lors de l’exécution d’une tâche de coordination bilatérale est comparable à celle du membre dominant des sujets sains lorsque la tâche est réalisée sans interaction entre les membres supérieurs (deux objets) et elle est perturbée lorsqu’elle implique une action coordonnée et réciproque des membres supérieurs sur un même objet. Ces personnes, ayant une bonne récupération motrice, ont donc une problématique centrale d’intégration et de traitement de l’information sensori-motrice lorsqu’il y a une complexification de la tâche à réaliser. Ces résultats suggèrent donc que les cliniciens devraient porter une attention plus particulière aux activités unilatérales et de coordination bilatérales lors le l’exécution de tâches complexes nécessitant un niveau d’intégration sensori-motrice élevé.

Impact on the quality of learning as a result of the use of computers in schools

The educational software and computer assisted learning has been used in schools to promote the interest of students in new ways of thinking and learning so it can be useful in the reading learning process. Experimental studies performed in preschool and school age population have shown a better yield and a positive effect in reading, mathematics and cognitive skills in children who use educative software for fi fteen to twenty minutes a day periods. The goal of this study was to evaluate the progression in verbal, visual-motor integration and reading skills in children who were using educational software to compare them with a group in traditional pedagogic methodology. Results: All children were evaluated before using any kind of pedagogic approach. Initial evaluation revealed a lower–age score in all applied test. 11% of them were at high risk for learning disorders. There was a second evaluation that showed a significant positive change compared with the fi rst one. Nevertheless, despite some items, there were no general differences comparing the groups according if they were using or not a computer. In conclusion, policies on using educational software and computers must be revaluated due to the fact that children in our public schools come from a deprived environment with a lack of opportunities to use technologies.

Neurobehavioral Development in Children With Potential Exposure to Pesticides

Children may be at higher risk than adults from pesticide exposure, due to their rapidly developing physiology, unique behavioral patterns, and interactions with the physical environment. This preliminary study conducted in Ecuador examines the association between household and environmental risk factors for pesticide exposure and neurobehavioral development. We collected data over 6 months in the rural highland region of Cayambe, Ecuador (2003–2004). Children age 24–61 months residing in 3 communities were assessed with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and the Visual Motor Integration Test. We gathered information on maternal health and work characteristics, the home and community environment, and child characteristics. Growth measurements and a hemoglobin finger-prick blood test were obtained. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Current maternal employment in the flower industry was associated with better developmental scores. Longer hours playing outdoors were associated with lower gross and fine motor and problem solving skills. Children who played with irrigation water scored lower on fine motor skills (8% decrease; 95% confidence interval 9.31 to 0.53), problem-solving skills (7% decrease; 8.40 to 0.39), and Visual Motor Integration test scores (3% decrease; 12.00 to 1.08). These results suggest that certain environmental risk factors for exposure to pesticides may affect child development, with contact with irrigation water of particular concern. However, the relationships between these risk factors and social characteristics are complex, as corporate agriculture may increase risk through pesticide exposure and environmental contamination, while indirectly promoting healthy development by providing health care, relatively higher salaries, and daycare options.

Attention disengagement in children with developmental coordination disorder

Purpose. Previous research has shown that children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have poorly developed strategies for allocating attention. This study examines the allocation of attention and integration of visuo-spatial and motor systems in children with DCD in a motor (look+hit condition) and a motor-free (look condition) task. Method. Three groups of control children were used to compare the performance of a group of children with DCD. Children were seated in front of a central fixation point and six peripheral targets, and were asked to look at or hit targets when illuminated. Saccade/hand movement latencies were measured on gap trials (gap between fixation offset and target onset) and overlap trials (fixation offset and target onset overlapped). Results. DCD children were not slower than controls to disengage attention during the look condition. However, during the look+hit condition the DCD children showed a prolonged disengagement period, which was also seen in younger control children. Conclusions. The results suggest that DCD children may have deficits in the allocation of attention for action, in both the speed of onset of a movement and the accuracy of the movement. It is concluded that attention disengagement may contribute to problems of visuo-motor integration in DCD.

Desempenho de alunos de séries iniciais no teste do desenvolvimento da integração visuomotora e variáveis relacionadas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)