Performance of the Visual-Motor Integration of Preschool Children in Hong Kong

Abstract

Objective/Background The Beery–-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) is an important assessment tool used by occupational therapists working with children. The aims of this study were (a) to identify performance differences in the VMI between Hong Kong preschool children and their counterparts in the United States; (b) to develop local references for the VMI (fifth edition) for the preschool children in Hong Kong; and (c) to examine the dimensionality and the hierarchical ordering of the VMI items using the Rasch Measurement Model (RMM). Methods A total of 288 healthy children aged between 3 years and 6 months and 5 years and 11 months were recruited from 54 local preschools in Hong Kong using the multistage sampling method. VMI was administered to the children individually at their preschools. Results Hong Kong preschool children were significantly better than those in the United States in VMI performance (p < .001). The results of the RMM showed that the VMI fell within the acceptable levels of unidimensionality. Most items were found to be hierarchically ordered, although a few items were found to have the same level of difficulty. Conclusion The local reference developed in this study yielded additional insights for occupational therapists and psychologists with regard to the application of the VMI (fifth edition) for Hong Kong children aged between 3 years and 6 months and 5 years and 11 months.