Bender-Gestalt Research Articles

Using the Bender Gestalt in South Africa: Some Normative Data for Zulu-speaking Children

In this study the authors investigated the use of the Bender Gestalt test within the South African context by evaluating the applicability of the existing norms (Koppitz) and by exploring how the variables age, sex, educational level, and geographical area affect test performance in Zulu-speaking school children. Zulu-speaking subjects ( N = 882) ranging in age from 6–18 years, completed the test. The test was administered in group form and independently scored. The study sample's performance was compared to Koppitz's norms and some significant discrepancies were apparent, suggesting that these foreign norms are inappropriate for use with Zulu-speaking children. Further exploration revealed that age was very strongly related to performance, accounting for 31% of the variance. Sex and geographical area were also significantly related to performance but their respective effect sizes were small. Initial normative data are presented for Zulu-speaking children. The implications of these findings for further clinical use of the Bender Gestalt are considered.

Intellectual and motor functions in school children from severely iodine deficient region in Sikkim.

High prevalence of endemic goitre (54%) and endemic cretinism (3.5%) exist in Sikkim. The level of intellectual functioning and motor performance were assessed in 90 school children in the age group of 10 to 12 years selected randomly from four severely iodine-deficient villages. Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test, Binet-Kamat Test for mental ability and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices were the tests used. The results show an impairment in intellectual and other neuropsychological functions in a high percentage of the children. Visuomotor coordination was poor in 62 (69%). Binet-Kamat test results showed that 19 (21%) children were intellectually subnormal (IQ < 70). Majority of the children (> 80%) had significant impairment in language, meaningful memory, non-meaningful memory, conceptual thinking, numerical reasoning and motor skills. The children did better on non-verbal reasoning and social intelligence. Goitre was detected in 82 (91.1%). Urine samples for iodine estimations was collected from every second child examined. The mean urinary iodine concentration was 4.23 micrograms/dl (SD 2.16). Urinary iodine concentration was less than 2 micro gm/dl in 26.1% (11 children) and less than 5 micro gm/dl in 84.8% (39 children) indicating severe iodine deficiency. The test results show impairment of psychomotor development in children born and brought up in iodine-deficient environment.

Misleading Report of Poor Screening Power of the Bender Gestalt: Comment on Margolis, Williger, Greenlief, Dunn, and Gfeller (1989)

Abstract In this article, I criticize the recent conclusions by Margolis, Williger, Greenlief, Dunn, and Gfeller (1989) that the Bender Gestalt (BG) test shows poor diagnostic sensitivity for dementia in older adults when compared with common neuropsychological (NP) tests. I show that application of age-adequate norms would result in substantial reductions in degree of assumed impairment on NP measures and dissipation of large and illusory diagnostic differences between BG and NP measures.

Cognitive and Neuropsychological Characteristics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Children Receiving Stimulant Medications

10 children receiving stimulant medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder were compared to normal children on cognitive and neuropsychological dimensions in a pilot study. When compared with 10 normal children the ADHD children showed significant differences on cognitive measures, including the Wechsler Developmental Index, the Bender Visual-motor Gestalt Test, and the Benton Revised Visual Retention Test. Elevated levels of polyspike EEG activity were also noted for these children. Analysis suggested that ADHD children receiving stimulant medications may have persisting neuropsychological difficulty. Further research on the neuropsychological correlates of ADHD seems warranted.

The Sugar Scoring System for the Bender-Gestalt Test: An Objective Approach That Reflects Clinical Judgment

Although several objective scoring systems have been developed for use with the abbreviated form of the Bender-Gestalt test of visuomotor development (Figures A, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8), each has been criticized as being inadequate in some way or other. This paper reviews the inadequacies of these systems as described in the literature and presents the results of a small study designed to investigate the psychometric properties of a new objective scoring system, recently proposed by Sugar, which incorporates both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The new system is shown to be psychometrically sound in validity and reliability. Additional advantages are described. The new system is recommended as a good, if not better, alternative to other, existing methods for scoring the Bender-Gestalt test.

Neuropsychological abnormalities following CNS prophylaxis in children with acute lymphatic leukemia.

The pattern and prevalence of neuropsychological abnormalities in children receiving combination CNS prophylaxis (2000 rads cranial irradiation and intrathecal methotrexate) during therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were studied. Thirty five children (25 boys) in the age group 5-15 years (mean 9.3) with no evidence of CNS leukemia were included and 20 age matched normal siblings served as controls. Neuropsychological parameters of general intelligence (Malin's modification of WISC test); attention and concentration (colour cancellation test); memory (modified PGI memory test) and visuomotor perception (Bender Gestalt test) were evaluated at least 6 months after CNS prophylaxis. Six (17.1%) patients had mean intelligence quotients (IQ) less than 85, while all controls had IQ > 85 (p < 0.05). The mean IQ of the patient population (93.4 +/- 11.9) was significantly lower than the control group (107 +/- 8.4) (p < 0.001). Scores on the colour cancellation test were lower in the patients as compared to controls (148.7 +/- 27.7 versus 184.9 +/- 23.9; p < 0.01). The mean memory quotient in the patient population was also lower than in controls (74.5 +/- 12 versus 93.6 +/- 9.2; p < 0.001). Scores on the Bender-Gestalt test did not show a significant difference. The presence of significant neuropsychological abnormalities in patients of ALL indicates the need for modification of the schedule of CNS prophylaxis. A comprehensive psychometric evaluation at regular intervals is essential for longterm rehabilitation.

Comparison of the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic test-revised and Bender-Gestalt in predicting achievement

This study investigated whether the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test-Revised (MPD-R) or the Bender-Gestalt (BG) would most accurately predict achievement at the first-, third-, and fifth-grade levels. Both tests were administered to 84 children (28 at each grade level) in a counterbalanced order. Data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlations, t tests for significance of difference between dependent correlations, and partial correlations. Results indicated that the MPD-R is a better predictor of achievement than the BG, especially at the first-and fifth-grade levels. At each grade level, the MPD-R scores correlated more highly with more achievement than did the BG.

The Bender-Gestalt Psychopathology Scale: Failure to Infer Validity in a School-Aged Sample

The concurrent validity of Hutt's (1977) empirical psychopathology scale of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test was evaluated among three groups of younger school-aged children within the 7-to-10- year age range (M = 109.1): adjustment disordered, conduct disordered, and nonclinical controls (n = 40/group). Excellent interscorer reliability was achieved with approximately 2 hr of self-study of the scoring manual. Although the conduct-disordered group was significantly more immature on Koppitz' Developmental Scoring System, there were no significant differences among groups on the psychopathology scale when visual-motor development was covaried (M = 50.5). This was an unexpected result, given Hutt's initial validation study among school-aged children. The psychopathology scale was not inferred to be valid among adolescents in the only known concurrent validation study. Pending supportive validation research, the psychopathology scale should not be employed in the clinical assessment of younger school-aged children.

Brain Atrophy and Intellectual Impairment in Tardive Dyskinesia

Fourteen chronic schizophrenic patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD) and 13 without TD were given psychological tests and CT scans. The low density rate (LDR), i.e., the ratio of the X-ray absorption (corresponding nearly to that of cerebrospinal fluid) of a brain lesion to the X-ray absorption of the whole brain, was used as an index of brain atrophy (HN-method). The LDR of the left hemisphere of the TD patients was significantly higher than that of non-TD patients in the basal nucleus and lateral ventricle, and the LDR of the right hemisphere for the TD patients was significantly higher than that of non-TD patients in the basal nucleus. The Hasegawa Dementia Rating Scale (HDRS) and Bender-Gestalt Test (BGT) for the TD patients were significantly lower than those for the non-TD patients. Our study revealed that brain atrophy was greater in TD than in non-TD patients and tended to be more pronounced in the left hemisphere, and that the degree of intellectual impairment was greater in the TD patients than in the non-TD group. The results suggest that schizophrenic brains with TD tend to be more easily damaged than those without TD, that this tendency predominates on the left side, and that intellectual impairment in TD is related to brain atrophy.

Mental and intellectual development of neonatal surgical children in a long-term follow-up

The mental and intellectual development of 75 children aged 6 to 10 years who had undergone operations during their neonatal period was estimated using the WISC-R intelligence test and the Bender-Gestalt test (BGT). WISC-R test results correlated with patients' total surgical stress scores, number of operations, and total duration of hospitalization. A tendency for verbal IQ deficiency was observed in many patients. BGT results correlated with the number of operations and total period of hospitalization. Patients with anorectal anomalies were apparently affected more than those with other diseases. An accumulation of therapeutic stresses relating to operations and hospitalizations during childhood extending through the neonatal period may affect subsequent mental and intellectual development.

Comparison of the qualitative and developmental scoring systems for the modified version of the Bender-Gestalt test

This study extended the validation research of two scoring systems (Qualitative versus Developmental) for the Modified Version of the Bender-Gestalt Test. The Modified Version of the Bender-Gestalt Test and the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test were administered to 75 first-grade and 84 second-grade students from regular classes at a public elementary school. Both scoring systems were significantly correlated with school ability. However, the results of tests for differences between correlations indicated that the Qualitative Scoring System correlated significantly higher than the Developmental Scoring System with school ability at the second-grade level.

The Boston Teacher Questionnaire. 2. Assessments of validity.

We assessed the validity of the Boston Teacher Questionnaire in a sample of 3451 9-year-old children. Those identified by the questionnaire as having a learning difficulty syndrome were compared to those without any characteristic of that syndrome. The validity reference measures were individually administered neuropsychological assessments at age 7 years and a group-administered reading achievement test at age 9 years. Girls and boys with the reading syndrome had much lower reading scores at age 9 years than did their peers. Boys, but not girls, with the arithmetic syndrome were much more likely than their peers to have arithmetic scores more than one grade below the expected level at age 7 years. Girls and boys with the tasks syndrome, characterized by impersistence, dependence, and inflexibility, were more likely than those without any features of the syndrome to be classified as having little or no goal orientation by a neuropsychologist who assessed the children in an office setting. Similarly, the neuropsychologist was much more likely than expected to have classified children with the attention syndrome as having a short attention span, and to have classified boys, but not girls, with the hyperactivity syndrome as having an unusual/extreme level and nature of overactivity. Children with any syndrome were more likely than others to have low scores on components of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, items of the Bender-Gestalt Test that assessed integration and distortion, and measures of reading comprehension. We conclude that the Boston Teacher Questionnaire validly identifies children with learning problems.

Book Review: The modified version of the Bender-Gestalt Test for preschool and primary school children

Book Review: The modified version of the Bender-Gestalt Test for preschool and primary school children

Bibliography of the psychometric properties of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test: 1970-1991.

To provide a compilation of the literature on the psychometric characteristics of the Bender Visual-motor Gestalt Test since 1970, 192 suitable items found in Psychological Abstracts and Social Science Citation Index are presented in five categories: reliability, validity, factor analysis, scoring systems, and norms.

Expanded Koppitz scoring system of the bender gestalt visual-motor test for adolescents: A pilot study

The current research represented a pilot study to assess the use of the Bender Gestalt Visual-Motor Test with school-age adolescents over 11 years of age. Research regarding the accuracy of the hypothesis that visual-motor integration functioning is normally intact by age 11 was presented. In addition, initial data to extend the Koppitz scoring system of the Bender for ages 11 years, 6 months through 15 years, 11 months was proposed. Mean error scores from the pilot study suggested that visual-motor development is not maturationally complete by age 11 years, 11 months. Additional research focusing on extending the normative sample or developing a new scoring system for adolescents is suggested.

Cross-validation of a psychological test battery to detect faked insanity.

Attempts were made in these 2 studies of simulated insanity to enhance ecological validity : Experimental fakers were given potent monetary incentives to conceal their deception; psychiatric inpatients and convicted felons were used in criterion groups, and subjects took a battery of psychological tests that varied in task demands. In Experiment 1, 8 predictor variables drawn from the MMPI, Bender Gestalt, and a newly developed Malingering Scale were used to derive a single discriminant function that best differentiated 20 prison inmates faking insanity from 40 nonfaking criterion and control group subjects. The optimal function consisted of 3 variables, yielded a canonical correlation of .823, and correctly classified 93.3% of subjects. Experiment 2 served to cross-validate the derived equation on 22 substance abusers instructed to fake insanity and 20 inpatients from a schizophrenia treatment unit who received standard instructions

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THEBENDER VISUAL-MOTOR GESTALT TEST: 1970-19911

To provide a compilation of the literature on the psychometric characteristics of the Bender Visual-motor Gestalt Test since 1970, 192 suitable items found in Psychological Abstracts and Social Science Citation Index are presented in five categories: reliability, validity, factor analysis, scoring systems, and norms.

Identifying children at risk for academic failure: An update on the modified bender-gestalt test

Journal Article Identifying children at risk for academic failure: An update on the modified bender-gestalt test Get access N.A. Brunner, N.A. Brunner Datahr Rehabilitation Institute & State University of New York, College of Arts and SciencesPlattsburgh Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar G.G. Branningan G.G. Branningan Datahr Rehabilitation Institute & State University of New York, College of Arts and SciencesPlattsburgh Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, Volume 7, Issue 4, 1992, Page 317, https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/7.4.317 Published: 01 July 1992

Comparison of two scoring systems for the modified version of the Bender-Gestalt test

This study examined the relative utility of two scoring systems (developmental versus Qualitative) for the Modified Version of the Bender-Gestalt Test in predicting performance on the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration. The subjects were 53 kindergarten and 47 first-grade children from regular classes at a public elementary school. The results of the tests for differences between correlations and multiple regression analyses indicated that the Qualitative Scoring System was a significantly better predictor of visual-motor integration skills than the Developmental Scoring System.

Neuropsychological, psychiatric, and physical manifestations in 149 members from 18 fragile X families

One hundred forty-nine subjects from 18 families with fragile X [fra(X)] syndrome were evaluated for their neuropsychological, psychiatric, and physical characteristics. The 36 fra(X) males had intelligence quotients ranging from less than 20 to 61, which prevented the delineation of a reliable neuropsychological profile. Behaviour fitted DSM-III-R and ADI diagnostic criteria of autism in only 2 subjects, both with very low intelligence level (IQ less than 20). Of 36 heterozygotes (HZ), 22 had an IQ between 20 and 80 and 14 between 81 and 99. The neuropsychological profile of the latter was compared with IQ-age-environment-matched 14 normal females and 14 normal males. Significantly poorer results in HZ were found on immediate digit memory and on Raven's progressive matrices (a visuo-spatial test of logical capabilities). The latter result, in conjunction with those results on the Bender visual-motor gestalt test and on some WAIS subtests, suggests a frequent deficit in spatial capabilities in such subjects. Such results tended to be confirmed by the profiles of the 22 HZ with IQ 20-80. No psychiatric abnormalities were found in HZ, except in one subject with IQ less than 20 which fitted DSM-III-R and ADI criteria for autism. Typical physical manifestations, especially cranio-facial, were more frequently present in the HZ group with lower IQ. Subnormal IQ was probably the most reliable abnormality for the detection of HZ in 49 females at 50% and 25% risk of heterozygosity.