Developed by Dr.

Lauretta Bender
Visual motor perception (one aspect of
Neuropsychological functioning)
Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz (for children)
Gerald R. Pascal (for adult)
Administered individually
The BG measures visual motor perception. It is once
ability to perceive as a whole and corresponding
emotional development as well.
The test levels determine
 Mental Retardation (MR)
 Brain injury
 Learning disabilities
 Emotional problems
 Regress to anxiety, confusion, withdrawal, shy,
perceptual malfunctioning.
Age Range
 For child 5 years to 11 years-11 months
 15 to 50 years for adult
The subject is seated at a table
Given a blank white piece of paper
Sharp pointed pencil with an eraser
Table top should be hard surfaced
 A sample “A” card is presented along with other eight
figures one by one and perceived in order of sequence
and position

Instructions:
“I have nine cards here with designs on them for you to
copy. Here is the first one. Now go ahead and make
one just like it.”
Do I have to count the dots? can say something like
that.. “it’s up to you,” or “just as you please.”

The top of the page is usually indicated by an arrow.

Non-patients: 5 minutes or less

Patients: average about 10 minutes or as long as one-

half hour
Identifying obtain subject figures with manual
presentation
Total score for all will be translated or converted into
Bender age
If score is of:

50-72 Suspected Range

50 and Below Normal

72 and above Need psychiatric help

Confused order: to mental confusion, in ability to
organize material
Wavy Line: Poor motor control, from emotional
attitude or for growth.
Dashes-Dots, or substitute: impulsivity, and lack of
interest, poor attention
Increase Size: low tolerance level, frustration,
explosiveness
Large Size: acting out behaviour, Dramatization,
Small Size: Anxiety, withdrawal in children, and
constriction.
Fine line(sketching): timid, shyness, and withdrawal.
Over work or reinforced line: impulsiveness and
aggressiveness.
2nd attempt at drawing: impulsiveness and anxiety.
Expansion: impulsiveness and acting out behavior.
 On the Bender-Gestalt neuropsychological and motor
coordination Test, the client’s results show that his visual-
motor coordination is impaired. His calculated Bender
Age was approximately 5 years 10 months. The emotional
indicators obtained from his profile reveal a need for
improvement in planning . The drawings indicate an
inability to organize material, impulsiveness and a
tendency to behave aggressively.