INTRODUCTION: Deficits in visual perception and fine motor performance are common in school-aged children with mild intellectual disabilities (MID). Assessment tools with sound psychometric properties are essential for occupational therapy practice and research. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), criterion validity and responsiveness of three commonly used assessments: the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills, Fourth Edition (TVPS-4), the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), and the Block and Box Test (BBT) in school-aged children with MID. METHODS: A total of 234 children with MID (134 females, age range: 73-144 months) were assessed at three time points: two preintervention assessments within 14 days (T1 and T2), and one postintervention assessment (T3) following a 4-month occupational therapy program. RESULTS: The TVPS-4 total score demonstrated excellent reliability and good criterion validity. The minimum detectable change (MDC) was 13.89 and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was 19.97. The JTHFT showed excellent reliability and criterion validity for both hands. The MDC was 3.66 and 4.67 s for dominant and nondominant hands; the MCID was 8.55 and 6.98 s, respectively. In contrast, the BBT exhibited only fair test-retest reliability and weak validity and responsiveness. CONCLUSIONS: The TVPS-4 and JTHFT demonstrated adequate reliability, validity, and responsiveness at both the group and individual levels, supporting their clinical utility for evaluating intervention outcomes and monitoring meaningful changes in visual-perceptual and hand function among school-aged children with MID. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (KMUHIRB-SV(II)-20190087). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05451238.
Chou et al. (Thu,) studied this question.