Report Viewer

NINDS CDE Notice of Copyright
Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI)
Availability
Please visit this website for more information about this instrument: Beery-Buktenica Developmental of Visual Motor Integration Sixth Edition
Classification
Supplemental: Cerebral Palsy (CP), Mitochondrial Disease (Mito), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Neuromuscular Diseases (NMD), Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
 
Exploratory: Sport-Related Concussion (SRC)
Short Description of Instrument
Developed in 2010, the Beery VMI helps assess the extent to which individuals can integrate their visual and motor abilities. The test presents the examinee with drawings of 30 geometric forms, arranged in developmental sequence from less to more complex. The examinee simply copies these forms in the Test Booklet. A Short Form, composed of 21 drawings, is often used with children ages 2 to 7 years. Supplemental tests of Visual Perception and Motor Coordination are available.
The Beery VMI can be used by psychologists, learning disability specialists, school counselors, teachers, and other professionals to:
• Identify individuals who may have difficulty with visual-motor integration
• Make appropriate referrals for needed services
• Test the effectiveness of educational and other interventions
• Evaluate neuropsychological problems in older adults
• Inform diagnoses of dementia or Alzheimer's
The Beery VMI has been used in numerous studies of cerebral palsy, including comparative studies with typically developing peers, studies of brain behavior relationships, and intervention outcome studies.
Comments/Special Instructions
Ages: 2-18 y
Administration: paper-pencil
Administration Time: 10-15 minutes
Scoring: Manual
Accessibility: CP MACS I-II
Norms: Normative sample was 1,737 individuals aged 2 to 18 years (2010) and 1,021 adults aged 19-100 (2006). In sixth edition updated norms for ages 2 through 18; Adult norms are included for ages 19 and above but were not updated in this edition.
Scoring and Psychometric Properties
Scoring: One point is awarded for each correct imitated or copied item. A ceiling score is established after 3 consecutive forms have not been passed and the standardized score has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
 
Standard Score Interpretation (Beery & Beery 2010)
  
Standard Score          Performance          % of age groups
         129                            Very high                              2
   120 - 129                           High                                 7
    110 - 119                   Above average                       16
      90 - 109                        Average                             50
      80 - 89                    Below average                        16
      70 - 79                             Low                                  7
         < 70                            Very low                              2
 
 
Psychometric Properties: According to Howe (2013) test/retest reliability (ICC = .89), interrater/intrarater reliability (ICC = .92) is excellent elementary aged children in handwriting. For preschool aged children Simmons & Probst (2009) showed that test/retest reliability was adequate. Interrater/intrarater reliability (ICC = .93) for kindergarten, first grade and second grade students is excellent. (Pfeifer, 2015)
Rationale/Justification
Strengths: The test is suitable for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors aged 2-100 years. The test is an economical and convenient screen for visual-motor deficits that can lead to learning, behavior and neuropsychological problems.
 
Weaknesses: The Beery VMI was not developed or intended to be used to access handwriting ability. (Pfeiffer, 2015) As such it should be used with caution as a tool to access handwriting in children. There are also limitations of using the Beery VMI when determining the effectiveness of interventions (Howe, 2013)
 
Sport-Related Concussion Specific:
Strengths: The Beery VMI is used in other medical disorders that affect neurologic function.
 
Weaknesses: The scale is not widely used in concussion studies and though it may be part of an overall neuropsychological evaluation, it is unlikely to be a short stand-alone measure.
References
Key References:
Beery KE & Beery NA. The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration| Sixth Edition [Internet]. [cited 03 Aug 2023] Available from: https://www.pearsonassessments.com/store/usassessments/en/Store/Professional-Assessments/Academic-Learning/Brief/Beery-Buktenica-Developmental-Test-of-Visual-Motor-Integration-%7C-Sixth-Edition/p/100000663.html
 
Beery, KE. Developmental test of visual motor integration: Administration, scoring, and teaching manual. 3. Cleveland, OH: Modern Curriculum Press; 1989.
 
Beery, KE. The Beery-Buktenica developmental test of visual motor integration: Administration, scoring, and teaching manual. 4. Cleveland, OH: Modern Curriculum Press; 1996.
 
Beery, KE.; Beery, NA. The Beery-Buktenica developmental test of visual motor integration: Administration, scoring, and teaching manual. 5. Cleveland, OH: Modern Curriculum Press; 2004
 
Beery KE, Buktenica NA. Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI).Pearson Assessments. 2010.
 
Beery KE & Beery NA. The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (manual). Pearson Assessments. 2004.
 
Additional References:
Cho M, Kim D, Yang Y. Effects of visual perceptual intervention on visual-motor integration and activities of daily living performance of children with cerebral palsy. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015;27(2):411-413.
 
Howe TH, Roston KL, Sheu CF, Hinojosa J. Assessing handwriting intervention effectiveness in elementary school students: a two-group controlled study. Am J Occup Ther. 2013 Jan-Feb;67(1):19-26.
 
Jongmans M, Mercuri E, de Vries L, Dubowitz L, Henderson SE. Minor neurological signs and perceptual-motor difficulties in prematurely born children. Arch Dis Childhood Fetal Neonat. 1997;76(1):F9-F14.
 
Pfeiffer B, Moskowitz B, Paoletti A, Brusilovskiy E, Zylstra SE, Murray T. Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI): An Effective Outcome Measure for Handwriting Interventions for Kindergarten, First-Grade, and Second-Grade Students? Am J Occup Ther. 2015 Jul-Aug;69(4):6904350010p1-7.
 
Rademaker KJ, Lam JN, Van Haastert IC, Uiterwaal CS, Lieftink AF, Groenendaal F, Grobbee DE, de Vries LS. Larger corpus callosum size with better motor performance in prematurely born children. Sem Perinatol. 2004;28(4):279-87.
 
Simmon, J. & Probst, C. (2009). Validity and reliability of the developmental test of visual-motor integration and its supplemental tests of visual perception and motor coordination in preschool children in Luxemburg. European Psychomotricity Journal, 2 (1) 8-18.
 
Skranes J, Evensen KI, Lohaugen GC, Martinussen M, Kulseng S, Myhr G, Vik T, Brubakk AM. Abnormal cerebral MRI findings and neuroimpairments in very low birth weight (VLBW) adolescents. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2008;12(4):273-83.
 
van Buuren LM, van der Aa NE, Dekker HC, Vermeulen RJ, van Nieuwenhuizen O, van Schooneveld MM, de Vries LS. Cognitive outcome in childhood after unilateral perinatal brain injury. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2013;55(10):934-40.
 
Document last updated October 2024