BENDER VISUAL MOTOR GESTALT TESTS

Autho.r ; Lauretta Bender

Published by ; The American Orthopsychiatric Association, Inc.

Key terms
• Visual-motor skills
; • Hand-eye coordination; in the Bender-Gestalt test, visual-motor skills are measured by the
subjects ability to accurately perceive and then reproduce figures.
• Neuropsychological test
• A test or assessment given to diagnose a brain disorder or disease.
• Perserveration ~
.f . ' ,. ;
• The persistence.'of a repetitive response after the cause of the response has been removed, or
the response continues to different stimuli.
• Visual-perdeptual skills
' .
• The capacity of the mind and the eye to "seen something as it objectively exists.

Definition

• It is a psychological assessment used to evaluate visual-motor functioning, visual-perceptual skills,

neurological impairment, and emotional disturbances in children and adults ages three and older.
• .Used primarily as a screening device to detect the possible presence of brain damage and other
emotional and social disturbances.
• As a projective test, used to assess various personality functions.

Purpose
• A rapid, efficient measure of perceptual-motor and cognitive development in children.
• Used to evaluate visual-motor maturity and to screen children for developmental delays. Individuals
who have suffered a traumatic brain injury may be given the Bender-Gestalt as a part of a battery of
neuropsychological measures, or tests. ·
• The Bender-Gestalt is sometimes used in conjunction with other personality tests to determine the
presence of emotional and psychiatric disturbances such as schizophrenia.
• Can be used both in Clinical and Industrial Settings.

Characteristics of the Test

• The original BVMGT was developed in 1938. There are several different versions of the Bender-
Gestalt available today, all use the same basic test materials, but vary in their scoring and
interpretation methods.
• It consists of nine geometric designs numbered A and 1-8 each on its own 3 X 5 card
• Has two ways of scoring basis;
• For child
• Adult
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BVMGT Assets

• Most extremely popular projective test.

• Brief, economical, flexible, nonverbal, nonthreatening and extensively researched. Strong asset
of the test
• Reliable
• Frequently valid device for clinicians
• The most confidence seems to be in its use for screening for organicity, and in making judgment
for maturational development.

BVMGT Limitation

• Does not provide in depth information about specific details and varieties of such damage.
• A screening device for generalized impairment and/or right parietal involvement. Right
hemisphere
• A certain degree to ocverlap bet. Emotional and organic indicators, adds to a risk of misdiagnosis.
• Absence of a commonly accepted and verified scoring and interpretation system.
• Should always be employed as only one element of a complete battery of psychological or
developmental tests, and should never be used alone as the sole basis for diagnosis.

Administration

• Populations;
• Ages 3 and over
• Time frame;
• The test is not timed, although standard administration time is typically 10-20 minutes.
• Qualified examiner;
• Should be administered and interpreted by a trained psychologist or psychiatrist.
• Group/ Individual test
• Place;
• May take place in either an outpatient or hospital setting.
• Administering procedure;
• Each design is presented sequentially to the subject whose task is to reproduce them on a blank
sheet of paper.
• Scoring procedure;
• After testing is complete, the results are scored based on accuracy and organization.
• Interpretation;
• Interpretation depends on the form of the test in use.
• Subjects design are rated on their relative degree of accuracy and overall integration.
• Other conditions;
• Failure to finish complete the test in 7mins. Adults 15 child indicates psychological disturbance.
·- Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test
Administering Procedure

Step 1 Settle the testing environment.

Step2 When the subject seems ready, give,•him his pencil and present the blank sheet of paper
in a vertical position.

Step 3 Instruct the subject to write his n~e, age, date and record the time started

Step4 Before presenting the cards sequentially, Read the verbal dJrection, clear1y;

"I am going to show these cards one at a time. Each card has a simple drawing on it. I
would like you to copy the drawing on the paper, as well as you can. Work in any way
that is best for you. This is not a test of artistic ability, but try to copy the drawings as
accurately as possible. Work as fast or as slowly as you wish."
When the subject has completed the design, the next slide is presented .and so on till you
reach the last figure 8.

If the subject begins to count the dots on the dotted figures, the examiner must say "You
don't have to count the dots, just make it look like the picture. If he persists, this may
show perfectionistic or compulsive tendencies.

Step 5 After the figure had been completed ask the subject to record the time finished.
Step6 Get the subject's work and give him another blank sheet of paper. Give the same
instruction in step 3.

Step 7 Verbal instruction "I am going to flash this cards to you once again in just about 5
seconds per card and after I have showed you the 9 cards you have to draw whatever
figure you can recall in your memory. Don't start until I'm done showing you all the cards.
Are you ready now?"

When the subjects makes you feel that he's already done, give him the instruction in step
6. Then collect his work.

Step8 Give the last sheet of paper; instruction in step 3; verbal instruction "this time without
flashing the cards, try to recall the figures and try reproduce them using the last sheet of
paper."

Step 9 If the subject is done, have him record the time finished and collect his work.
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~· Interpretation Guidelines
Child

• Indicators of Organicity
• Visual motor perception difficulties
• Developmental maturation
• Emotional indications

Adult

• Indicators of Organicity
• Emotional indicators
• Anxiety and depression
• Acting out/impulsivity
• Schizophrenia

What to observe
During the test

• Level of confidence
• Awareness of errors
• Completion time
• Any comments made

After the test

• Features of drawings
• Figure size
• Placement and line quality
• Order and organization of design
• Distortion, erasures
• Reworking, omissions
• Unusual treatment
 .• . .,

I •
, The Bender Gestalt Test or the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test is a psychological assessment
instrument used to evaluation visual motor functioning and visual perception skills in both children
and adults. Scores on the test are used to identify possible organic brain damage and the degree
maturation of the ne1-vous system. The Bender Gestalt was developed by Psychiatlist Lauret'"..a
Bender in the late 19th century.

Precautions
The Bender Gestalt Test should not be administered to an individual with severe visual impairment
unless his or her vision has been adequately corrected with eyeglasses.

Additionally. the test should not be given to an examinee with a severe motor impairment as the
impairment would affect his or her ability to draw the geomet1·ic figures correctly. The test scores
might thereby be distorted

The Bender Gestalt Test has been criticized for being used to asses' problems with organic factors
in the brain. This criticism stems from the lack specific signs on the Bender Gestalt Test that are
definitively associated with brain injury. mental retardation. and other physiological disorders.
Therefore, when making a diagnosis of brain injury, the Bender Gestalt Test should be used in
conjunction with other medical. developmental. educational. psychological and neuropsychological
information.

Finally. psychometric testing requires administration and evaluation by a clinically trained

examiner. If a scoring system is used, the examiner should carefully evaluate its reliability and
validity. as well as the normative sample being used A normative sample is a group within a
population who takes a test and.represents tl1e larger population. This group's score on a test are
then be used to create "norms" with which the scores of test takers are compared

Descriptions
The Bender Gestalt Test is an individually administered pencil and paper test used to make
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presented to the examinee one at a time: then. the examinee is asked to copy the figure on a blank
sheet of paper. Examinees arettt..lowed to erase, but cannot use any mechanical aids such as rulers.
The popularity of this test among clinicians is most likely the short amount of time it takes to
administer and score. The average amount of time to complete the test is five to ten minutes.

The Bender Gestalt Test lends itself to several variations in administration. One method requires
tl1at tlie exc1minee view each ca.rd for five seconds, after which tl1e cc1rd is removed. The examinee
draws the figure from memory. Another variation involves having the examinee draw the figures by
following the standard procedure. The examinee is then given a dean sheet of pa.per and asked to
draw as many figures as he or she can recall. Last the test is given to a group. rather than to an
individual (i.e., standard adminisira.tion). It should be noted that tl1ese variations were not part of
the original test
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BENDER VISUAL MOTOR GESTALT TEST

A. ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS:

This refers to the way by which the subjects organize and replaces bis reproduction on the sheet or
sheets of paper. This indicates the manner in which he relates himself to the world around him.

1.) SEQUENCE - refers to the order to succession the drawings are reproduced on the page.

a. OVERLAY METHODICAL SEQUENCE - one in which the subject

produces in fix sequence without deviation in spite of the space available or
obvious requirement of the stimulus. Example, the subject may start from
the left hand comer of the page, he place the following drawing directly at
the left margin, always starting from the left-hand margin till he finishes bis
reproduction, despite the available space on the right hand portion of the
page.

b. METHODICAL SEQUENCE - one in which the subject follows a regular

succession figure form top to bottom or from left to right may be followed
by some simple and logical arrangement.

c. IRREGULAR SEQUENCE - on which deviation occurs thru out the

subject's drawings. Ex, he may change the course of his reproductions from
top to bottom, and then left to right, then moves again from right to left.

d. CONFUSED SEQUENCE - characteristics by jumble or lack of apparent

plan by which the drawings are placed on the page.

e. SYMBOLIC SEQUENCE - one in which it has a symbolic significance to

the subject.

This method of sequence employed by the subject in general indicates his intellectual
functioning and bis ego's nature. The more rigid the sequence, the more rigid or over controlled is
bis intellectual functioning. Normal subjects often manifest methodical and occasionally, irregular
sequence, and those individuals who are compulsive but may be classified as normal may show an
overly methodical sequence. Overly methodical treatment is also manifested by neurotic
individuals who utilize compulsive defenses. Confused sequence is the characteristic of an
individual having severely disturbed ego, and consequently is found among patients with severe
reactive condition such as delirium, disassociative and toxic psychosis and in those patients with
fragmented ego such as the schizophrenics.

A significant interpretation of subjects sequential arrangement is the point of which the

sequence changes. A subject with an orderly sequence for the first few drawings and scatters the
subsequent drawings at the bottom of the page may function superficially in a reasonable passion,
but is at the borderline level of integration and may regress quite rapidly when he is under tension
or trauma. According to Hutt, commitances of such behavior are rigidity with low frustration
tolerance, high latent anxiety, decisiveness and compulsive doubting and also feeling of·
inadequacy. Other sequential considerations and various hypotheses attached therefore as follows:
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1. Sudden changes in the pattern of· sequential progression indicated impulsivity on a
• reaction to the symbolic meaning of the figure at which the change in sequence
occurred.

2. Sequential progression might or from bottom to the top page is indicative of

negativistic trend.

3. Use of more than two sheets of paper occurs in some psychopathic personalities who
will use a separate sheet of paper of each figure, manics and grandiose schizophrenics
and is inactive of narcissism, egocentricism, and expansiveness.

4. Completion of several drawings of the face of the sheet and then turning the paper over
to complete the drawings at the other side suggests the anal characteristics of
parsimony.

5. Placement of the first figure enlarged crowded around the first one, suggest marked
egocentrism or narcissism of an individual with a fa~e of potency or security. If the
first figure is reduced in size but it also at the middle or for the other figures, feeling of
impotency are likely to be overwhelming.

6. Intellectual determinants, methodical sequence is associated with average or better

intelligence, while a confuse sequence is utilized by the subject with retarded
intellectual functioning.

Position of the first drawing - This is so indicative of the subjects' contemporary method
of adoption, initially to any situation. The well adjusted individual puts the first figure, within the
upper left band comer of the page and not closer than one inch to the either left or right margin
and two inched from top of the page. The timid and fearful individual tends to place his first
drawing in the upper left band of the page, and frequently reduces the size of the figures while
narcissistic, egocentric and psychopathic individual draw their first figure in the middle of the
page. Placement of the first figure in the lower right band comer is indicative of egocentricity,
anxiety, and ego disturbance of psychotic proportions.

Use of SPACE 1 - refers to the amount of space between two successive drawings. The
normal limits for the amount of space fall between ¼ or 1 quarter of an in to ½ of an inch. The
amount of space being detennined by interpreting the nearest points between successive drawings
or figures. Excessive use of space is scored when the distance between drawings is a quarter more
than ½ of an inch, while constricted use of space is scored when the distance between two figures
is less than one quarter of an inch. The former is an indication of a strong overt hostility, while the
latter correlated with withdrawn, overly hostile and passive of adaptation.

Use of SPACE 2 - normally adult subject use one to 2/3 sheets to complete their drawings.
Withdrawn, fearful, and overtly hostile subjects tend to use far less than the normal amount of
paper. On the other hand assertive rebellious, aggressive subjects far more sheets. The egocentric
individual may use a separate page for each drawing, increasing in its size and placing it in the
center of the page.
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COLLISION -The tendency of the figures to overlap or actually collide; it is scored when
the placement of the figure is less than ¼ of an inch of any other figures of this drawings. Subjects
who manifest an actual collision or even a collision tendency are those who have marked
disturbance in ego function or those who suffer from organic damage, or who are actually
disturbed or deteriorated psychotics.

USE OF MARGIN - refers to the placing of drawings along the margin of the paper. This
is scored when the subjects place at least seven of his figures within one quarter of an inch of any
of the margins of the paper. Those individuals who scored on this tend to manifest considerable
amount anxiety of the covert level.

SHIFT ON THE POSITION OF THE STIMULUS CARD - This refers to the subject
turning of the cards more than or at least 90 degrees from the original position at which the paper
was presented to him. The determinant is found among anxious individual or those individuals
with strong oppositional tendencies of having conflict with authority figures.

SHIFT ON THE POSITION OF THE PAPER-This is the subject's rotation of more than
one at least 90 degrees from the original position at which the paper was presented to him.
Rotation of the paper of 90 degrees or more is almost always found among individuals who are
both egocentric and rigid, while a rotation of 180 degrees or more is indicative of oppositional
tendencies of having which however manifested at overt level.
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B. FACTORS RELATIONG TO SIZE OF THE FIGURES:

A design is said to be increased or decreased in size in its vertical or horizontal axis when it is
greater or lesser by ¼ than the axis of the stimulus design. The factors relating to size are as
follows:

1. OVERALL INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE FIGURES -

This is the increase or decrease of the majority of the designs produced. When the
reproduction is characterized by over-all increase in size, a reaction formation is marked,
feelings of anxiety is indicated. He ma)' be trying to deny his anxiety by showing in his
behavior boastfulness, excessive aspirations level, and the like. When there is an over-all ·
decrease in size, active and overt anxiety is manifested by him, and that is likely that he is
unable to cope.

2. PROGRESSIVE INCREASE OR DECREASE IN SIZE OF THE FIGURES -

This refers to the tendency to make each successive design of either larger or smaller than
the preceding one. This test determinant which is scored when the changes occur
sequentially in six drawings is indicative of low frustration tolerance. The subject with this
dangerous or he may be engaged in considerable amount of acting out tendencies.
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3. ISOLATED INCREASE OR DECREASE IN SIZE - This refers to an increase
or decrease in size of a particular design or parts of some designs of at least ¼ of the
corresponding axis in the stimulus, by more or less of the dimension used in the preceding
subsequently drawings. This is indicative of symbolic conflict of the subject. Increase in
size may occur in the vertical plane on those designs having up and down orientation.
When this (plane) feature is noted, difficulty is relation to authority figure is suspected. On
the other hand increase in size may occur in the lateral so that the designs are wider than
they are high. Such test feature is indication of difficulty in maintaining interpersonal
relation.

B. FACTORS RELATING TO CHANGES IN THE FORM OF THE GESTALT:

I. CLOSURE DIFFICULTY refers to the difficulty injoining the parts of the design
together or in joining the two designs together. This may occur in form of gaps, erasures,
increase in pressure, and excessive amount of drawing of the point of the junction and in
intrusion of one part of the figure into other. If it comes in forms of gaps it is suggestive of
withdrawal tendency, if it is manifested by intrusion, the presence of passive dependent
need is suggested. However, regardless of the ways in which closure difficulty may occur,
it psychologically represents an inability to maintain constant catharsis with adequate
objects or environment. Closure difficulties have also been found among psychoneurotic.

2. CROSSING DIFFICULTY refers to the difficulty in drawing at prints where

lines cross another, specially those found in figure 6. It is manifested in the form of
drawing, sketching, increase of pressure at points of lines crossing in the figures when
scored, it is indicative of compulsive doubting, phobia, or psychosexual difficulty in which
one subject easily gets into sexual conflicts with little stimulations.

3. CHANGES IN CURVATURE refers to the change of the figure such as

increased curvature of amplitude. Flattening which is the deduction of the amplitude of the
curves, irregularity in the line quality of the curves, speaking of which is used in straight
lines for upper and lower portion of a curve and may be changed in the total size of the
curvature to this drawing, this taken to mean that she is overtly responsive to emotional
stimuli. On the contrary, if he decreases the amplitude of the curve, it applies that he tends
to suppose his emotional reactivity or insertion.

4. CHANGES IN ANGULATION refer to the change of the angles or interaction

between parts of the design or change in the degree of the angle in the drawing from that
which is present in the stimulus figures by more than five degrees. An increase angulation
is present when the subject increases the ~cuity of his angle by more than five degrees. As
in the preceding determinant, the change of angulations is correlated with the subjects'
degree of responsiveness to the emotional stimuli. Thus, increase angulations indicated the
reverse. Difficulty in reproducing the angles is often found among organics and mental
defectives.
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· · C. FACTORS RELATING TO THE DISTORTION OF THE GESTALT:

This factors are evidences of the pathological functioning and are more in characteristic of
the psychotic patients, although they may vary frequently be found in the records of neurotic
individuals and of well oriented individuals having some extreme form of situational difficulty. In
general they are indicative of ego control and include the following;

1. ROTATION - any change in the position of the figures with the stimulus in
constant position. It may involve the whole figure or only in portion of the figure. When
true rotation is except in psychotic cases, inorganic cases, partial rotation of the figure
occur.

The three types of rotation are minor 5 to 15 degrees; moderate 15 to 18 degrees,

and severe types 80 to 180 degrees. The minor type may take either clockwise or counter-
clockwise direction. The minor types are indicative of depression trends when they are
made in clockwise direction, and of antagonistic or oppositional trends when they are in
counter-clockwise direction. The severe types which (they are in) may also consists in the
reversal of separate parts of the figure although the basic axis is properly oriented, are
frequently found in the records of schizophrenics psychopaths, and sever neurotics.
Approximately 30% schizophrenics, especially in the early stages, show little or no
rotation. The non-occurrence of rotation of this group shows that their illness is to bland or
episodic variety.

2. RETROGRESION - refers to the substitution of the subject of a more primitive

gestalt which the stimulus presents. It is scored when there is concreted evidence that the
individual has attained an overall higher maturational level, but is showing more primitive
gestalt patterns in the instances under consideration. When the subject reverts to a method
of behavior characteristic of an earlier stage in his development, loss in ego function is
indicated. But retrogression is not only correlated with profound personality disturbance
but rather it also suggests the hostile and impulsive behavior on the parts of the subject.
This especially the case when the subjects consistently substitute the dots with dashes.

3. SIMPLIFICATION - refers to the substitution by the subject of a different form

which seems to be more complete, but which from that point of view of the task is more
simple. It represent the attempt by the subject to meet situation which too difficult for him
by the utilization of a loss appropriate although somewhat relevant responses. It is
frequently found among cases in which marks feelings of impotence is manifested.

When simplification occurs among psychotic individuals, it represent the subject's inability to deal
with reality effectively. Simplification occurs among cases of an organic brain damage. The individual
with organic brain damage is aware of his severely handicapped capabilities and he may make comments
as regard his inability to arrive at effective solution to his problems. This also occurs among neurotic
subjects, among individuals who grudgingly take the test, and among individuals having low frustration
tolerance or hostile or negativistic trends. Among neurotic subjects, simplification indicates immature
emotional development.
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. b. When the characteristics tendency to draw vertical line from the bottom rather than from top
• ·down is correlated with the neurotic fear of authority.
When the characteristic is from the outside of the design to the internal parts of the design,
narcissistic trend is suggested.

2. CONSISTENCY IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT - refers to the tendency of most individuals

to characteristically utilize one of the movement orientations. There is consistency in the direction of the
movement orientation when the subject show discrepancy between his characteristic movement
orientation when another design part of the me design. Inconsistency in the direction of movement is
indicative of the presence of psychic blocking of the attempts made by the subject has different sufficient
strengths which occur well for the favorable prognosis of his condition, or that the subject's condition is
in the acute or prodomal stage.

3. LINE QUALITY - refers to the characteristic kind of pencil strokes utilized by the subject in his
reproductions. When there is consistency in the subject's mode of adjustment be it good or bad, is
relatively stable. On other hand, when subject's line quality has certain inconsistencies, the reverse is true.
When the inconsistency is in the form of sudden increase or decrease in the intensity of line quality, it
may be inferred that some conflict area has been triggered the symbolic value of particular stimulus
figure.

There are various kind of line quality. They include:

a. HEAVY LINE - these are dark in color, draw in heavy pressure which can be detected by
running the finger over the back of the paper and feeling the resulting ridge. When they have
the tendency to tapper off toward the end of the pencil stroke, one can infer the presence of
overly hostile impulses. Often, occur in conjunction with the increased size of the figures,
irregular sequence and excessive use of space, and is occasionally accompanied by collision
tendency in severely disturbed individuals.

b. HEAVY LINE MOVEMENT ACCOMPANIED IN INCOORDINATION - This consists of

heavy line movement with irregularly tremulousness. It usually attempts to control associated
with residual tension or anxiety. It is frequently found in test protocols of individuals having
organic brain damage and acute anxiety over unresolved desires.

c. FAINT LINE - They are light lines resulting from adequate pencil pressure and are frequently
associated with timidity and anxiety in individual having withdrawal tendency. Such
individuals usually are unable to express their hostile impulses in an acceptable manner.

d. POOR COORDINATION - This is manifested when the lines which make up the subject's
drawing are irregular rather than smooth-flowing. It may be considered fine when the
tremulousness seldom exceeds one third o an inch and coarse when the tremulousness has an
amplitude in excess of 1/16 of an inch. Poor coordinations frequently seen in records of the
subject's manifesting over tension and anxiety or neurological damaged of sub-cortical or
spinal nature is suspected.

e. SKETCHING - Refers to the resketching and retouching of a simple line. Unlike artistic
variety, sketching consist of many abortive line movements, the final product ofis ferior in
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. 4. FRAGMENTATION - refers to the tendency to break-up the original separate Gestalt and
• · produce only part of it or to reproduce the Gestalt as separate parts. They should be joined together. This
test, as determined is manifested in incomplete drawings and occasionally in drawing in which part of the
integral whole is dissociated. When it is present in the subject's reproduction, it represents a loss in
abstraction and organizational capacities. Fragmentation frequently occurs in severe cases of psychosis in
cases involving frontal brain damage, and in about ½ of the cases showing hysterical amnestic symptom.

5. OVERLAPPING DIFFICUTLY - refers to the difficultly in reproducing design which overlap,

especially design 4, 6, and 7. This test determinant is failure to reproduce portions of the figure which
overlap, when there is overlapping at an incorrect point, when there is severe rotation of the figure, when
there is simplification of either the figure at the point of overlap, when fragmentation and redrawing of the
overlapping portion occur or when there is distortion of the figure at the point of the overlap. It is the
characteristic cases of organic brain damage involving the occipicaparietal regions. Individuals who have
such types of brain damage find it impossible to copy the parts of the figures which intercept.

6. ELABORATION OR DOODLING - Refers to the subject's elaboration or doodling over the

original gestalt, changing its general appearance markedly in many instances. The test determinant is
indicative of possible libidinal regression and severe lodes an ego function. It is frequently found among
manic psychotic group and among psychiatric groups in which agitation and poor capacity for
concentration are manifested. It is also seen among neurotic who exhibit considerable amount of anxiety.

7. PEREVERATION

a Refers to the persistence of continued use in a subsequent drawing of certain features or

a preceding feature. Th8us the subject may produce figure 2 as dots instead of circles because he
perseverated the dots forming behaviour as indicative of decreased ego control of impairment of reality
testing. They occur among mentally defective and among individuals having intracranial phatody.

b. Refers to the tendency to· continue the Gestalt beyond the limits called for the stimulus
figure. Even when the subject has already reproduced the Gestalt with the high degree of accuracy, he still
continues to repeat part or all of the stimulus thus given in figure 1, the subject continues to draw the dots
until he reaches the edge of the answer sheet. Then it's scored extreme rigidity and some loss of critical
function on part of the subject, as well as inability to shift from a set developed during the reproduction of
a new set required when he reaches the end of the stimulus. It is frequently seen among severly
compulsive individuals and among subjects having organic brain damage.

E. MOVEMENT AND DRAWING FACTORS

1. MOVEMENT DETERMINANT - They manifest three characteristics;

a. The characteristic direction of hand movement in a right-handed individual's direction, which
the left handed individuals usually use clockwise movement. When the characteristics direction on the
movement is contrary to the expected some form psychology is expected. In general, when the
characteristics direction is not in conformity with the expected, there is indication among oppositional
tendency.
; . quality and occasionally results in an inaccurate copy of gestalt. Sketching is indicative line of .
• anxiety or uncertainty and feelings of insecurity on the part of the subject.

With the detailed expression on the various test determinant of Hutts we can now analyze the
Bender reproduction of subject's base results in inequally determined by the interactions of multi-
determined events that operate over the span of time. It involved the assumption of several
hypothesis and simultaneously rejected the others. Each factors as previously mentioned should be
. considered one by one for analysis then hypothesis can be noted down out of them. Further
findings and verification confirms certain hypothesis and rejects the others. Confirmed hypothesis
are the only ones taken. ·

Hutt promulgates individual features for each of the stimulus figures. They are as follows.

FIGURE A-A test design which is relatively simple that subjects with mental ego of about 7-8
years can successfully draw this figure as performed should be compared with that of other more
complex figure, e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, on one hand the figures 6, 7, and 8 on the other hand. If difficulty is
encountered in th simple figures then in the difficult ones we can. infer that there is maturational.
Difficulties since such a phenomenon assume intrapsychic difficulties.

Other noticeable features of figure A are as follows:

1. Figure A consists of two well structured and tangenial quality. It's tangenial quality in
suggestive at difficulties in interpersonal relationship.
2. The circle in Figure A may represent female object, while the square the male object. The
subject who attempts to identify himself with the female· figure will reproduce a circle larger
than the square or will place the circle within the square of probably (the square) produce a
number of square around the circle.
3. The circle in figure A consist of a curve and a straight line figure. Difficultly in producing the
curve (and the straight line) figure is correlated with difficulty in expressing aggressive drives,
while difficulty with passivity.
4. Since figure A constitute the first figure in the test, the figures of its reproduction should be
examined carefully with the end in view of determining whether the subject is confronted with
problems in adopting to initial situations.

FIGURE 1: This test is unstructured figure. That is, it has no clearly delineated boundary organic
patients and those individuals with intense diffused anxiety will find it difficult to reproduce the
figure. An individual with a serious aspiration problem will. probably .spend time drawing the
figure, filling the dots or emphasizing the clarity of the dots. Patients with traumatic anxiety will
be reminded of bullets or pallets as they reproduce the dots that they will produce them as waxy
line of dots. Paranoid schizophrenics and neurotics will reproduce the dots as birds, symbolic
figures or doodles. Obsessive-compulsive individuals will spend a good deal recounting the dots.
This is manifestation of pefectionistic tendency. Other test behaviours that they may be noted in
figure are tendency to draw the dots in representations with the subject serving as the pivot and the
tendency to draw the dots with slight clockwise orientation. The former is indicative of
egocentrism, while the latter is suggestive of depressive trends. Directional orientation after the
completion of figure A should be taken into consideration in the analysis of the figure 1. If the
preferred movement is in the horizontal plane, the presence of unresolved need for interpersonal
relationship is suspected. On the other hand, if the preferred movement is in the vertical plane,
one can speculate the presence of difficulties in dealing with authority figures.
 ..
..,
.
' .
I

Figure 2: In the reproduction of of this figure, pe4rseveration may occur. The tendency to copy
loops as dots is the characteristic of the subject and lso of subject having intense anxiety. As in
figure 1, figure 2, does not have a clear cut boundary and us such it will proved difficult to
organize.

Theouter features that should be looked for in this figure are:

· L Change in the angulation of columns ofloops. The reduction in the acuteness of the angulation
corresponds to the subject's reproduction of affectivity, while can increase in the acuteness
implies increase in affectivity. Difficulty in perceiving or executing the angulation may be
noted. Such test behaviour is associated with feeling of impotence which are experienced by
organic and is found to be occasionally manifested by psychopathic. A shift in angulations
may also occur in Figure 2 such a those on the fight may have opposite angulation, thereby
making the whole figure describe and arrow with the subject at the center of the point of
origin. Such phenomenon is in figure 1 as indicative of egocentrism.

2. Rotation - the subject may the draw the figures with clockwise orientation. Such as indicative
of depressive trends. The presence of depression is strongly indicated if it is suggested by the
first three figures in the test. Other test features that are indicative of depression are the use of
line pressure in the line movement and difficulty in completing any task. Such test feature also
imply that that depression is present in a highly dependent and passive personality strong
masochistic feature ar4e indicated by low pressure that tends to be heavy instead of light.

FIGURE 3: Some patients may have some degrees of control with the previous figures may tend
to break down in this figure, organics usually show their ego impatient before they have reached
this figure. Individuals are confronted with aggressive qualities of the figure or feel threatened by
symbolic meaning they attached to it may exert a compensatory effort by compressing the figures
or by reducing the angularity of the angle. Those who are regressed tend to simplify the figure by
the number of dots or the number of comp9onent parts, while those with· feeling of regression will
encounter rotational difficulties of minor type, unlike the regressed individuals, the obsessive-
compulsive individuals will try to make a more or less perfect reproduction of the figure. They
will count over and over again the number of dots.

FIGURE 4: This figure is associated with sexual objects like Figure A the curve figure represents
the female object and the open square figure represents the male object. Distortion of both figures
confirm hypothesis relating to sexual sphere. The following are some other features that should be
taken into considerations:

1. The tendency to flatten or make excessive loop at the end of the curve. The former is an
indication of emotional flattening and the latter is associated with impulsivity and poor
emotional control

2. Difficulty in the vertical sides of the open square in form of sketching on the vertical sides, of
successive attempts to increase or extend these sides, or of an increase in the dimension of
these sides regardless of the way it is an indication o difficulty in relation to authority figures.

3. The tendency to fragment the figure or separate the two components is associated with severe
ego impairment securing in recessive status and organic cases.
.
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16
FIGURE 5: The features of this design are as follows:

1.) Rotation~ this is engendered by the inability of the subject to represent the
inertia caused by the angulated secant.

2.) tendency to complete the circle through extending the circuJ.ar portion of
figure. This is associated with feeling of insecurity and dependence.

3.) Defensive measure may occur through simplification.

4.) Obsessive- compulsive patients count the dots over and over in.

5.) Paranoid individuals elaborated or extend the size of the secant.

6.) Problem in relation to authority figures are manifested through decrease in

·total vertical dimension of the design with the foreshortening or the secant.
7.) Decrease of the secant. together with wavy line quality suggestive of reaction
formation to hostile wishes. .
8.) Use of guidelines- compulsive and rigid individuals who use them to excess
and make poor use of them.

Figure 6:

1.) Individuals who maintain f~ade of spontaneous affectivity tend to have

difficulty in drawing the test design.
2.) Reduce amplitude of the curves indicated reduced reactivity to emotional
stimulus.
. 3.) Reduction of the amplitude of the curve suggest withdrawal from (emotional
stimulus) emotional laden situation.
4.) Intersection of the two curves at right angles or drawing the curves with-
evidence of motor incoordinatfon connotes inability to handle "hot" emotional meaning
of the stimuli. ·
5.) Drawing the curves as spikes as indicated inability to control one's aggressive
trends.
6.) Drawing the curves in "U" form indication marked fearfulness in interpersonal
relation.
. 7.) Mild clockwise rotation, light wavy lines and the like connotes depression on
the part of the subject.
8.) Elaboration of the curve as profile of a face of insertion of a dot for an eye
suggest paranoid trends.
9.) IncrSease iri the size of the curves and use of excessive line pressure are seen
among individuals manifesting impulsive characteristics.
10.) Decrease in the size of the curve and use of light pressure and sketchy line
are anxiety indicators.
 ,.

17
Figure 7:

1.) Intra-cranial

a. Failure to produce the overlapping Gestalt.

b. Sketching at the point of overlap of the two figures.
c. Severe of the rotation of the figures marked difficulty with some of the· angle
especially if none is noted in such figures as A and simplification of either of both parts
of the figures.
d. Overlapping at incorrect point.
e. Marked overshooting in the closure at any of the annexes.
f. Substitution of the curve of the straight lines, and total destruction of the
Gestalt'.

2.) The phallic quality of the stimulus figure may constitute a threat to the
homosexual subject may use numbers of ways in which defined himself such as
rounding off the upper or lower apexes of the figures.

3.) Tendency to separate the two figures or simply them is among individual with
supper ego problems guilt, over-fantasi2t:d perversion or excesses.

·4.) Closure difficulties with angles rotational problems and the like are suggestive
anxiety and difficulties interpersonal relation.

Figure 8:

1.) Difficulty in producing the extremities of this phallic quality figure may mean
conflict over homosexuality. Difficulties with the angle in extremities, substitution of
curve line for the straight lines in the .extreme position of the figure and excessive
;.... sketching.

2.) Difficulty in reproducing the inner diamond figure in the form of reduction
size misplacement in position or difficulty in the hexagon. This is usually associated with
conflict the female sex and fearfulness in connection with sexual intercourse.

3.) There may not be any distortion of the figure A but they are present to marked
extent in figure 8. Such could be attributed to the fact that cumulated anxiety have been
built up in course of the examination an figure 8 evokes more readily conflicts related to
sexual relation. The explanation given can be confronted in the course of elaboration.
 ..
THE BENDER VISUAL MOTOR GESTALT TEST

General Consideration: Clinical ·and research data support the position that interpretative hypothesis
regarding erasing, placement pressure, size, stroke and shading, generally apply to both projective
drawinQ!l !tttd BVMGT reproductions. ·

~~- i?~aJ time to c:.9.mplete . a Bender is of .consequence, Hasty ~xecutions suggest

, .. impulsiveness and.impatience ·(Clawson, 1963). On the other hand, the examination suggests or
in~cates a psychological disturbance if it exceeds the required time of seven minutes for an adult or
fifteen minutes for a child. Obsessive-compulsive individuals have. been known to spend more time, ;
three or four minutes on each design. Organics also spend excessive time. ·

Most subjects will arrange their Bender reproductions on one to one and a half pages. Some
individuals will need multiple sheets, and in the extreme, will put one design on each page. Aggressive,
egocentric, acting-out, psychophatic and paranoid patients are most likely to require numerous sheets
of paper, and this holds for both adults and children; Most subjects also work from top to bottom, left
to right or some combinations of these directions. It is not remarkable for Figure A to be more or less
centered and then see the. top to bottom, left to right pattern develop. lndivid~s ·who work from t4e
top to the bottom may show sonic order and a good plan. But individuals who work from the b_ottom
up tend to be negativistic and hostile. . ·· .{ ·

UNUSUAL MODE OF REPRODUCTIONS-INTERPRETATIVE HYPOTHESES;

1. Unusual Treatment of the Gestalten:

A. Angulation changes suggest:
organic conditions in adult and children, mental retardation, inability to complete
a tasks, hesitancy, self-doubt and anxiety, difficulty in emotional control, feelings of'
insecurity and conflict
in children-immaturity and maladjusting conditions with possible learning
and reading disabilities.
Increased angulation - suggests excessive emotional reactivity.
Decreased angulation -suggests decreased, inhibited emotional reactivity.
· Rounded angles - suggest emotional impulsiveness.
Sharpened angles - suggest attempts to control conflicts and feelings eg.
insecurity. ·
B. Closure difficulty suggests:
emotionally disturbed, neurotic conditions in adults and children.
interpersonal relationships are difficult, perhaps fear-inducing in children and adults.
- anxiety, hesitancy, self-doubt and inability to complete a task, possible hypomania.
- aggressive, acting-out behavior sometimes with psychopathy, mental deficiency, and
learning disturbances in children.
C. Circles modified: Circles changed to dashes, by children suggest an emotional
disturbance. --
- circles with qots placed in them suggest masochistic tendency. , .
- uneven size suggest poor psychological controls,
- dots substituted for circle, by children, have been associated with
reading difficulty.

1
.----
 .
"\

D. -Concreteness, giving figures specific interpretative meanings,· suggests:

- serious regression, organic and schizophrenic conditions.
E. Curvature modified, in gen,eral suggest. ·_ _
·-. N.B., normals may manifest miner modifications in cw:vature.
. . . -, .•.. , ....... -: ...... 11eµrotic conditions w:ith poor ~_ptional control, impulsiveness, possible· . .
- . Delinquency in Adolescents, possible mentafdeficiency in children, immaturity, confusion,
regression, leaming and emotional dist\U'bance and associated need for psychotherapy.
F. Exaggerated curvature suggests: impulsivity, p_oor'.emotio~ control, over responsiveness,·
sometimes with oppositional tendencies, ~otio~ conflicts with neurotic defenses.
G. Flattened curvat\U'e ·suggest flattened affect, suppression or constriction of emotionality or
. insensitivity to effective environment.~ stimulation, depressed conditions, lo~ frustration
. tolerance, overly hostile patients. i
H. Displacement (parts of figure related in a bizarre way)-suggests schizophrenic condition, possible
organic condition, bizarre, negativistic individuals, traumatic psychosis.
I. Dots modified: Dots changed to circles suggest regression in anyone over age 7: emotional
instability, organicity, hysterical personality. In children, maybe normal under age 7, but
. . als~ suggests poor academic work. '
""-. - Dots changed to dashes suggest possible organicity, possible externalization of hostility. In
children, emotional problems with academic problems especially reading.
- Dots changed to lines - suggest possible organicity. .
J. Fragmentation suggest: organic conditions in adults and children; lflesions are present, truiybe
basal rather than cortical-includes organic psychosis, psychotic conditions in adults and
children, probably schizophrenic; possible neurotic conditions, particularly hysteria with
amnesia or anxiety neurosis, possible mental deficiency; children with reading difficulties;
. regressive defenses and dissociative tendencies.
K. Lines changed to dots suggest ~~ophrenia. ·
L Numbering and Bqxing-off of figures suggests: neurotic conditions, usually obsessive-compulsive
conditions with rigidity and meticulousness; alcoholic conditions, severe neurotic ·
conditions; perhaps a pre-psychotic sign; possible paranoid tendencies in children.
Suggests insecurity, anxiety and a tendency either to withdraw or act-out.
Overlapping and crossing difficulty suggests: emotional disturbances, and neurotic conditions.
:, -·'•"N::t Particularly psychastenia in adults and children; organic conditions particularly involving
the occipital-parietal regions; mental deficiency, particularly e.xogenous type; immature and
, insecure pers'onalities, tendencies toward aboulia, compulsive doubting and phobias.
N. Preservations suggest: organic brain damage conditions in adults and.children; decreased ego
\ control and impaired reality testing; mental retatdation, particularly bi:ain injured as ·
\ opposed to familial; schizophrenic condition in children and adults; ~eme rigidity as in
~ere compulsive and organic brain damage individuals; aphasic conditions; in children,
l ~ g disturbances, alcoholic psychosis, possible psycophathy.
0. Regressiori~\including simplification. Priµiitivizarion and condensation suggests: possible
· organi~ty, severe personality disti:ubances with regressed condition including
schizophrenia; immature mental and emotional development; neurosis with emotional
instability\mental retardation in adults/children; aphasic conditions, emotionally disturbed
delinquents\passive-aggressive individuals with marked feelings of impotence; low
frustration to~~ce, negativism and overt hostility; children with learning disturbances
especially diffi.9Jlty with arithmetic. . · ·
P. Reversal suggest o ~ brain damage in adults and children; acute confessional states including
bewildered depres\i~es and schizophrenics; negativism; reading difficulty; mental retardation··
\
\
2
\
\ '

_.. ·-··· _ , _ _....... --- --···

\ . . ··\. -
·,
 ' . '.\ - ' .
probably of organic etiology, possible neui:ofis. · _ · · · · . , . · '.: .· . ; · .
Q.-- Rotation ~~ggests: organic c~nditions; b~ain damage in 9oth_children ~d adults; psychotic
conditions; mental deficiency especially fromlorgaruc etiology; • · - ·;
neurotic condition especially if moderate; m~ked elated manic· or depressed inood; · ·
antagonism or opposition if relation is counterclockwise, left-handedness in some apparen y . -..
- norm:31_ individu~s; in childre~; it may be assf ciated with minimal neurologic deficit, ,
n~gativ1sm, le~g and re~g p~oblems ~d a n~ed for psych?therap_y: • ;, . -. ;. ; .
R. Sketching suggests: anxiety and tension in adults ~d children; neurotic ·conditions; turudity;
possible chronic alcoholic hallucinatory conditions; possible· par~oia; possible organic
psychosis includes patients with dementia p:iraly_tica and sensory aphasia; in <::hildren, ·
possible poor self-concept. I · · · • · _. · ,
S. Sloping Deviations:- Upward sloping suggests elat~d mood; downward sloping suggests depressed
moods; inability to maintain horizontal slope ~s~ociated with brain . diseased_ conditions.___ _
T. Spontaneous Elaborations, Embellishments· and Doodling suggest: - · ·
- psychotic conditions particularly manic depressive; in children, various psychotic processes
and need for psychotherapy; schizophrenia '.when Gestalt is destroyed; organic and
dementia conditions; regression or inadequate ego functioning; excessive preoccupation
with needs; possible alcoholism, particularly in children, when sinusoidal curves becomes
waves, etc., dissociative tendencies; neurotifs with intense anxiety and impaired ability. to
concentrate. - I 1· -
- ~
- .-;
1
U. Tremors and Motor incoordination suggests: anxiety, tension and pent-up aggression as
frequently found in adolescents delinquents; neurotic conditions; depressive condition as
opposed to other functional psychosis; alcoholics; mental retardation in children; elderly·
individuals. ; · ·
V. Turning design card o.r paper suggests: - emotional instability; acting out and negativistic I
tendencies; possible schizophrenia; possible organicity. i
W. Work over excessive suggests: - suspicious individuals, psychotic conditions, paranoids more a~t
'. to workover lines, non-paranoid psychotics are more apt to workover dots; neurotic anxipty
conditions; in children, learning difficulties~ mental retardation and schizophrenic · j
conditions. N.B. Oawson (1962) found that normal children engage in more workover ~an
emotionally disturbed children. · r

MO_DIFICATION IN SIZE:
A. Expansion in size suggests: impulsivity inadequate emotional control in adults and children, and
Aggressive acting-out tendencies; possible psychopathy, resulting from lack of inhibit.ion;
possible narcissistic character disorder; reaction formation to marked feelings of anxiety,
inadequacy or impotence; possible schizophrenic or brain damage conditions in adult and
childrt:n, though may not be related to acting-out tenden<;ies possible ~anic-depressive
patients; possible alcoholism; if more than two sheets are required' for entire protocol,
aggressive acting-out behavior is suggested; iri children, emotional problems and reading
difficulties. . _
B. Sequential expansion of figures size suggests: low frustration tolerance; explosive, acting-out
tendencies due to inadequate constrictive controls; introverted personalities, neurotic
conditions. · · ·
C. Reduction in size suggests: withdrawal tendencies in children and adults; feelings of inadequacy,
insecurity and impotency; inhibited, constricted personalities; organic conditions includipg
alcoholic and traumatic psychosis, encephalitis, dementia paralytica, paretic~, and senso~ .
aphasias mentally retarded children and adults; active and overt anxiety; confessional sta es
with poverty of impulses, depression, the smaller the design, the deeper the depressio

3 .. ?iro: :~::jti}lir )i1}"J.1\

I
. ,~
•• : :
···•----·~···-··•-•"'·'·
' 4" ' •
...
,, '
 Jo, o.i r1 @se.t-s a- a~ ...

.4 I
- When very tiny, schizo enic or other
X J'J.

fragmented condition. \
- Small figures with excess1 aces figures have been associated with paranoids
withdrawn from a world perceived as hostile; ..
Small figures with compressed arrangement suggest very s·trict superego.
D. Sequential reduction of figure size suggests: ~troversive personalities with repressive and ·
· suppressive defenses, especially in neurotics; low frustration tolerance with acting-out
tendencies; by children, internalizing of anxiety, ~ometimes with somatic complaints.
E. Marked inconsistency in modified sizes of reproductions suggests: fluctuating ego controls; ·
children with low frustration tolerance, over responsiveness to environmental stimulation;
ambivalent individuals. '
TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT OF THE REPRODUCTIONS:
A. Highly methodical arrangements suggests: Meticulousness or compulsive tendencies though
· these maybe within normal bounds; malacijusting adult and children; exaggerated search
for security as compensation for anxiety and feelings of insecurity, especially when lines
enclose figures; rigid patterns of retarded children; alcoholism; neurotics with compulsive
defenses; possible incipient severe personality disorders reflecting effort to maintain
personality against possible imminent disorganization. .
B. Logical Orderly Arrangements Suggests: normal, average children and adults; logical approach to
everyday problem, adequate judgment and planning ability, a healthy ego; some neurotics.
C. Irregularly arrangement suggests: Manic-depressive conditions, inadequate and withdrawn
\ paranoids. Placement at edges of paper by adult suggests need for support from
environment, fear of independence; by children-suggest tension and anxiety. Orderly
sequence begun but final figures crammed in at bottom or scattered suggest normal
behavior dissipates and regresses rapidly under stress or trauma. Completing figures on
back sheet suggests anal parsimoniousness. Arranging figures right to left, or bottom to
\
\ top suggest negativistic tendencies. First figure centrally placed with other figures
\ encircling it suggests egocentricity or narcissism; sudden changes in method or
~rangement suggest impulsivity.
D. Confused and chaotic arrangements suggests:. intense and overwhelming anxiety; psychotic .
conditions, particularly schizophrenia and hebephrenic conditions in adults and children;
\ possible organic impairment; in children possible acting-out and need for psychotherapy;
manic conditions; neurotic conditions, mental retardation both exogenous and
endogenous type.
E. •. Crowded, compressed or cohesive arrangements suggests: neurotic conditions, lack of sensitivity
· to others, insecure, abrupt, hostile tendencies, depressed conditions particularly with
\ feelings of inferiority; in children and adults, withdrawal tendencies, constriction and
inhibition, fearful, covertly hostile with repressive controls of a very strict super ego;
'~ethargic, dull conditions; psychotic conditions both organic and schizophrenic; paranoids,
hostile with reactive, perhaps withdraws and inadequate if compression is extreme;
learning difficulties in children.
F. Collision 'arrangements suggests: organic brain damaged conditions; low ego strength, poor
current planning ability; disturbed or deteriorating psychotic conditions, impulsive,
aggressive, acting-out tendencies: ·
G. Scattered, Expa~sive arrangement suggest: aggressive, rebellious, hostile, acting-out tendencies in
children in. adults and children; manic conditions expansiveness, psychopathy due to lack
of inhibitory,trends and very weak relationships. ·
\