| Visual-perceptual tests are standard instruments in educational diagnosis. One of the most commonly used tests in psychology is the Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Test (Groth-Marnat, 1984). Use of the Bender Gestalt Visual Motor test in educational diagnosis has been the object of much criticism (Wallace & Larsen, 1978). Since tests of visual motor ability are still commonly used it was proposed that a different test be studied.; The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test is a test of constructional praxis. It is distinguished from other drawing tests because it appears to be a more complex figure.; The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test in diagnosis and to compare its use to the Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Test.; Forty-five subjects were used: 15 learning disabled, 15 regularly placed and 15 gifted. Subjects were given the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure and the Bender Gestalt Test, copy and recall phases.; Both tests discriminated between learning disabled and non-learning disabled subjects on the copy administration. The Bender Gestalt Test was more likely to discriminate between the two groups at p = {dollar}<{dollar}.01; the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure was significant at p = {dollar}<{dollar}.05. The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure was unable to discriminate between learning disabled and regularly placed children on the memory administration, but the Bender Gestalt Test did at p = {dollar}<{dollar}.01. No significant differences were found between regularly placed and gifted subjects.; The present study presents evidence of the usefulness of the Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Test in diagnostic testing of learning disabilities. Additional research is indicated using a counterbalanced design. It appears that the Watkins Bender-Gestalt Scoring System (1976) might maintain an increased likelihood of detecting and penalizing errors over the Osterrieth system. |
