An Eye-Tracking Method for Directly Assessing Children's Visual-Motor Integration

Abstract

Background Visual-motor integration is an integral component of many adaptive behaviors and has been linked to school readiness. In young school-age children, visual-motor integration is typically assessed with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (Beery VMI), a standardized instrument that measures children's ability to copy 2-dimensional forms. The Beery VMI is scored according to children's final written product, but does not directly measure the process of visual-motor integration that underlies children's form copying. Objective We describe a new way of directly assessing visual-motor integration in real time. We demonstrate how head-mounted eye-tracking technology for young children can be used to describe the dynamics of visual-motor integration when children copy forms. Design This study used a cross-sectional design. Methods Typically developing kindergarten children (N = 20) were tested as they wore an eye-tracker while performing the Beery VMI. Results Participants' success (b = -0.66; SE = 0.08; Cohen f 2 = 1.11) and their efficiency in visual (b = 0.29; SE = 0.02; Cohen f 2 = 0.55) and motor (b = 0.12; SE = 0.01; Cohen f 2 = 0.90) processes during form copying decreased as the stimulus complexity increased. Limitations A small convenience sample was used to determine proof of concept. A larger, more representative sample is necessary to provide generalizable results. Conclusions The new methods used here offer the possibility of more fine-grained assessments of eye-hand coordination in typically developing children and children with such clinical conditions as dysgraphia and developmental coordination disorder.