The purpose of this study is to develop a change-sensitive scale for evaluating developmental change in visual-motor ability across the life span. A partial-credit item-response model is used to estimate theta values for each age group between 4 and 90 using the Bender-Gestalt II standardization sample (N = 4,000). Results from this study suggest that visual-motor ability has a rapid maturation lasting into middle adolescence, steadily decreases through adulthood, and rapidly declines in later age ranges. These results provide evidence against previous research conclusions that suggested visual-motor ability development ends in late childhood and remains steady across the life span. A case study is provided to demonstrate the practical use of the change-sensitive scale in monitor intervention outcomes.
Collins, L. M., & Sayer, A. G. (Eds.). (2001). New methods for the analysis of change. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
9.
Cronbach, L., & Furby, L. (1970). How we should measure change—Or should we ? Psychological Bulletin, 74, 68-80.
10.
Embretson, S.E., & Reise, S.P. (2000). Item response theory for psychologists. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
11.
Francis, D.J., Shaywitz, S.E., Stuebing, K.K., Shaywitz, B.A., & Fletcher, J.M. (1996). Developmental lag versus deficit models of reading disability: A longitudinal, individual growth curves analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 3-17.
12.
Groth-Marnat, G. (2003). Handbook of psychological assessment (4th ed.). Hoboken, NY: John Wiley.
13.
Hutt, M.L. (1985). The Hutt adaptation of the Bender-Gestalt Test (4th ed.). New York: Grune & Stratton.
14.
Jones, W.P. (2003). Single-case time series with Bayesian analysis: A practioner's guide. Measurement & Evaluation in Counseling & Development, 36, 28-39.
15.
Kolen, M.J. (1988). Traditional equating methodology. Educational Measurement: Issues, and Practice,7, 29-36.
16.
Kolen, M.J., & Brennan, R.L. (2004). Test equating, scaling, and linking: Methods and practices (2nd ed.). New York : Springer.
17.
Koppitz, E.M. (1963). The Bender-Gestalt Test for young children (Vol. 2). New York: Grune & Stratton.
18.
Lacks, P. (1999). Bender-Gestalt screening for brain dysfunction (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley.
19.
Lacks, P., & Storandt, M. (1982). Bender Gestalt performance of normal older adults . Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 624-627.
20.
Levine, D.N., Lee, J.M., & Fisher, C.M. (1993). The visual variant of Alzheimer's disease: A clinicopathologic case study. Neurology, 43, 305-313.
21.
Malloy, P., Belanger, H., Hall, S., Aloia, M., & Salloway, S. (2003). Assessing visuoconstructional performance in AD, MCI, and normal elderly using the Beery Visual-Motor Integration Test. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 17, 544-550.
22.
Mermelstein, J.J. (1983). The relationship between rotations on the Bender-Gestalt Test and ratings of patient disorientation. Journal of Personality Assessment, 47, 490-491.
23.
Pascal, G.R., & Suttell, B.J. (1951). The Bender-Gestalt Test. New York: Grune & Stratton.
24.
Piotrowski, C. (1995). A review of the clinical and research use for the Bender-Gestalt Test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 81, 1272-1274.
25.
Rasch, G. (1960). Probablistic models for some intelligence and attainment tests. Copenhagen: Danmarks Paedagogiske Institut.
26.
Reschly, D.J., & Ysseldyke, J.E. (2002). Paradigm shift: The past is not the future. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology (3rd ed., pp. 3-36). Washington DC: National Association of School Psychologists.
27.
Rhijn, S.J., Glosser, G., de Vries, J.J., Clark, C.M., Newberg, A.B., & Alavi, A. (2004). Visual processing impairments and decrements in regional brain activity in Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology,26, 11-23.
Smith, R.M., Schumacker, R.E., & Bush, M.J. (1998). Using item mean squares to evaluate fit to the Rasch model. Journal of Outcome Measurement, 2, 66-78.
31.
Steege, M., Brown-Chidsey, R., & Mace, F.C. (2002). Best practices in evaluating interventions. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology (4th ed., Vol. 2, pp. 517-534). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists .
Sullivan, K., & Bowden, S.C. (1997). Which tests do neuropsychologist use? Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 657-661.
34.
Tolor, A., & Brannigan, G.G. (1980). Research and clinical applications of the Bender-Gestalt Test. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
35.
Wang, W., & Chen, C. (2005). Item parameter recovery, standard error estimates, and fit statistics of the WIN-STEPS program for the family of Rasch models . Educational and Psychological Measurement, 65, 376-404.
36.
Wilson, M. (2005). Constructing measures: An item response modeling approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum .
