No evidence of a minimal clinically important difference for the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The Beery Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) battery of tests are some of the most commonly used assessments in pediatric occupational therapy, often used to measure change over time. However, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) has not been estimated for interpreting change scores. We estimated the MCID for the Beery VMI battery of tests in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Four occupational therapists collected data in a public elementary school on 64 children with ASD. The Beery VMI battery was administered to children with ASD twice, approximately 11 months apart. To estimate MCID values, Beery VMI battery scores were anchored to 15-point Likert questions measuring occupational therapists’ ratings of functional change over three domains: fine motor skills, handwriting, and activities of daily living (ADLs). Using this anchor-based method, we were unable to estimate MCID values for the Beery VMI battery. Children’s Beery VMI battery scores did not change significantly over the course of the school year, and there was only one weak correlation between VMI battery change scores and therapists’ ratings of change. The inability to estimate Beery VMI battery MCID values for children with ASD adds further support for research cautioning the use of the Beery VMI as an outcome measure.