Examining the Association Between the Computer-Aided Scoring and Manual Scoring for the Beery Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (Beery VMI) and Children’s Handwriting Skills: A Convergent Validity Study
Journal
Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, and Early Intervention
Date Issued
2023-01-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Introduction: Visual motor integration (VMI) is an important underlying mechanism for children’s handwriting. The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI) is commonly used to assess children’s VMI skills, using a manual scoring method which can be prone to individual subjectivity and impact its sensitivity. This study investigated the use of the Computer-Aided Scoring System for scoring the Berry VMI (CASS-Beery VMI) to assess school-aged children’s VMI and handwriting skills. Specifically, the convergent validity between the CASS-Beery VMI and three standardized handwriting assessments was investigated. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional design was used. Thirty-five neurotypical Australian students aged 6–9 years completed the Beery-VMI–6th edition, Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA), Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting–Manuscript (ETCH-M) and the Here’s How I Write Assessment–Child version (HHIW-C). The Berry-VMI was scored using its original scoring method and the CASS-Beery VMI. Thirty parents of the child participants completed the Here’s How I Write Assessment–Parent version (HHIW-P). Descriptive statistics, Spearman rho correlations and regression analyses using bootstrapping were completed. Results: The CASS-Beery VMI error scores were significantly correlated with the Beery-VMI score, and subscales of the MHA, ETCH and HHIW-P scores (r = 0.341– −0.555; p =.045–0.001). The CASS-Beery VMI error scores and Beery VMI raw scores were found to be significant predictors of the ETCH-M number legibility scores (adjusted R2 = 0.209; p = 0.017) and MHA form scores (adjusted R2 = 0.220; p = 0.007). Individually, the CASS-Beery VMI score was a significant predictor of the ETCH-M word legibility scores (Adjusted R2 = 0.305; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Findings indicate that the CASS-Beery VMI can be used to assess children’s VMI skills. The significant correlations between the CASS-Beery VMI and other standardized handwriting assessments (MHA, ETCH-M and HHIW) adds to the body of convergent validity evidence that the CASS-Beery VMI can be a sensitive scoring method for Beery VMI when assessing children’s handwriting performance.
Subjects
children | computerized evaluation | Handwriting | occupational therapy | visual-motor integration
SDGs
Type
journal article