Beery‐Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual‐Motor Integration (Beery‐VMI): lessons from exploration of cultural variations in visual‐motor integration performance of preschoolers

Abstract

Preschoolers from different cultural and ethnic groups had different VMI performance. Certain cultural beliefs and practices may affect VMI performance. Clinicians should exercise caution when using an assessment in communities and cultures outside the ones on which it was standardized.

Visual perception of five-year-old English-speaking children in Bloemfontein using the Beery VMI-6, DTVP-3 and TVPS-3

“…Consequently, occupational therapists use measuring instruments standardised in other countries to assess children's visual perceptual skills 5,33,38 . Clinicians should be cautious about using an assessment instrument on individuals in communities, with cultures and languages different from the ones on which the instrument had been standardised 18 . Certain factors need to be taken into consideration with regard to this particular matter, and include the following:…”

“…Therefore, applying a set of norms from one culture to another could lead to the misrepresentation of the child's true developmental status 45 ; Several studies have evaluated the performance of children from different countries and/or cultural groups using American paediatric standardised tests and identified differences in the outcomes 18 …”

“…Even among South African occupational therapists, these three tests are mostly preferred, despite all of them having been developed and , the DTVP-3 in 2014 7 and the TVPS-3 in 2006 1 . Over an extended period, research on the previous versions of these three tests had been conducted in numerous countries across the world 2,3,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] . Some of these studies also investigated aspects of the validity and reliability of the tests [9][10][11] .…”

“…Some of these studies also investigated aspects of the validity and reliability of the tests [9][10][11] . Cultural variations 18 and the relationship between test results and aspects such as vision 18,21 and achievement tests 8 , have been reported. Furthermore, a variety of age groups 12 and specific populations, such as individuals with particular diagnoses and/or impairments, on whom these tests had been performed, have been described [23][24][25][26][27][28] .…”

“…Results obtained by means of inaccurate evaluations can lead to misinterpretations and implications on the intervention plan 18 ; It can be an ethical issue if cultural bias is not considered when using these standardised tests 46 .…”