The Bender Visual-motor Gestalt test has been an integral part of the standard test battery for the past 50 years. However, the test has been extensively critiqued on issues of inappropriate administration, scoring schemes, and clinical interpretation. In an analysis of recent surveys on test use, the Bender-Gestalt remains quite popular in a variety of clinical settings across all age groups. Secondly, the test has a respectable level of research interest, based on a citation analysis of the Psychological Abstracts database.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ArcherR. P.MaruishM.ImhofE. A.PiotrowskiC. (1991) Psychological test usage with adolescent clients: 1990 survey findings. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 3, 247–252.
2.
BenderL. A. (1938) A visual motor Gestalt test and its clinical use. American Orthopsychiatric Association Research Monograph 3. New York: American Orthopsychiatric Association.
3.
BubenzerD. L.ZimpferD. G.MahrleC. L. (1990) Standardized individual appraisal in agency and private practice: A survey. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 12, 51–66.
4.
CanterA. (1985) The Bender-Gestalt test. In NewmarkC. S. (Ed.), Major psychological assessment instruments. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Pp. 217–248.
5.
GoldenC. J. (1990) Clinical interpretation of objective psychological tests. (2nd ed.) Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
6.
KennedyM. L.FaustD.WillisW. G.PiotrowskiC. (1994) Social-emotional assessment practices in school psychology. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 12, 228–240.
7.
PiotrowskiC.KellerJ. W. (1989) Psychological testing in outpatient mental health facilities: A national study. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 20, 423–425.
8.
PiotrowskiC.KellerJ. W. (1992) Psychological testing in applied settings: A literature review from 1982–1992. Journal of Training & Practice in Professional Psychology, 6(2), 74–82.
9.
PiotrowskiC.ZalewskiC. (1993) Training in psychodiagnostic testing in APA-approved PsyD and PhD clinical psychology programs. Journal of Personality Assessment, 61, 394–405.
10.
StinnettT. A.HaveyJ. M.Oehler-StinnettJ. (1994) Current test usage by practicing school psychologists: A national survey. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 12, 331–350.
11.
WatkinsC. E.CampbellV. L.NieberdingR.HallmarkR. (1995) Contemporary practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 26, 54–60.
