Visuo-motor characteristics of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder on the NEPSY-II design copying subtest

Abstract

ABSTRACT Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder affecting about 5% of children reported to be linked with poor academic, social and occupational outcomes. The aim of the study was to test the visuo-motor performance of children with ADHD. The Design Copying subtest (NEPSY-II) was used to test visuo-motor functions. A total of 160 children, both boys and girls, aged between 7 and 13 years, participated in the study. There were no effects of gender or age group neither main, nor interacting, thus, only the performance of the ADHD versus the control group was analysed. The findings revealed that children with ADHD symptoms performed significantly poorer than the control group with regard to organizational ability, visual perception, motor planning and control. Children with ADHD symptoms presented with less proficiency in discriminating area, shape, slope, line length and size consistency of the designs. It is, therefore, concluded that difficulties in visuo-motor skills may underpin problems in academic performance found in ADHD children. Therefore, inclusion and intervention strategies should be geared towards addressing these deficiencies.