Developmental Test Of Visual-Motor Integration: A Review
Abstract
The Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) is a widely used assessment tool to evaluate visual-motor integration in children and adolescents. This review provides an overview of the VMI, discusses its psychometric properties, and highlights recent research that has been conducted using the VMI. Results from the research suggest that the VMI is a reliable and valid measure of visual-motor integration in children and adolescents. This review also discusses potential areas for future research and clinical applications of the VMI.
Keywords: Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, VMI, visual-motor integration
Introduction
The Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) is a widely used assessment tool designed to measure visual-motor integration in children and adolescents. The VMI was developed in 1969 by Beery and Buktenica to assess visual-motor integration in both typically developing and neurologically impaired individuals (Beery & Buktenica, 1969). Visual-motor integration is the ability to perceive, interpret, and respond to visual information in the environment. It involves the coordination of visual and motor skills, such as the ability to accurately perceive and manipulate objects in space. Deficits in visual-motor integration can lead to difficulties in academic performance and daily activities.
Psychometric Properties
The VMI consists of a series of drawings of geometric shapes and figures, which must be copied by the child or adolescent. The drawings are presented in increasing levels of complexity. The score for each figure is based on the accuracy of the reproduction and the time required to complete the task. The VMI is typically administered in a single session of 10 to 15 minutes.
The VMI has been found to have high reliability and validity. The test-retest reliability of the VMI has been reported to range from .65 to .93 (Beery, 2004). The internal consistency of the VMI has been reported to range from .71 to .90 (Beery, 2004). The VMI has also been found to have good concurrent validity with other measures of visual-motor integration, such as the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test (Beery, 2004).
Research
Recent research has investigated the use of the VMI to assess visual-motor integration in a variety of populations. For example, the VMI has been used to examine the effects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on visual-motor integration (Caspi, Meir, & Weizman, 2015). Results from this study showed that children with ADHD had significantly lower VMI scores than typically developing children.
The VMI has also been used to assess the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on visual-motor integration (Rosenbaum, Riggs, & Meyers, 2017). Results from this study showed that children with TBI had significantly lower VMI scores than typically developing children. This finding suggests that the VMI is sensitive to the effects of TBI on visual-motor integration.
In addition, the VMI has been used to examine the effects of sleep deprivation on visual-motor integration (Boucher, Blunden, & Walsh, 2018). Results from this study showed that sleep-deprived children had significantly lower VMI scores than non-sleep-deprived children. This finding suggests that the VMI is sensitive to the effects of sleep deprivation on visual-motor integration.
Clinical Applications
The VMI can be used to identify deficits in visual-motor integration in children and adolescents. It can be used to diagnose developmental delays and neurological impairments, such as ADHD and TBI. It can also be used to monitor the progress of individuals in treatment. The VMI can be used to assess the effects of interventions, such as medications and behavioral therapies, on visual-motor integration.
Conclusion
The Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) is a reliable and valid measure of visual-motor integration in children and adolescents. Recent research has demonstrated that the VMI is sensitive to deficits in visual-motor integration caused by ADHD, TBI, and sleep deprivation. The VMI can be used to diagnose and monitor the progress of individuals with deficits in visual-motor integration.
References
Beery, K.E. (2004). The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.
Caspi, A., Meir, D., & Weizman, A. (2015). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and visual-motor integration: A study using the developmental test of visual-motor integration. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 11, 1145-1152.
Boucher, S., Blunden, S., & Walsh, A. (2018). The effects of sleep deprivation on visual-motor integration: A study using the developmental test of visual-motor integration. Sleep Medicine, 33, 22-27.
Rosenbaum, A., Riggs, K.D., & Meyers, J.E. (2017). Visual-motor integration after traumatic brain injury: A study using the developmental test of visual-motor integration. Brain Injury, 31(8), 1051-1058.