The Effects of Auditorally Augmented Feedback on the Eye-Hand Coordination of Students with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

To explore the question of whether auditorally augmented feedback can improve the eye-hand coordination of individuals with cerebral palsy, 59 (cerebral-palsied) students (mean chronological age 14 years, 3 months) were pretested with the Southern California Motor Accuracy Test and then randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 performed training exercises—tracing line drawings—while simultaneously receiving auditorally augmented feedback about their efforts. Group 2 performed the same training exercises without the augmented feedback. Group 3 served as controls. All subjects were post-tested with the Southern California Motor Accuracy Test, followed by a second post-test after a 3-month interval. At the first post-test, the performance of the feedback group was significantly superior to that of the other groups. At the second post-test, the performance patterns among the groups were essentially the same as at the time of the first post-test, but between-group differences were no longer significant. The results of this study are discussed in both empirical and theoretical terms.