Patterns of Perceptual-Motor Dysfunction in Children: A Factor Analytic Study

Abstract

Analysis of test scores made by 100 children with and 50 without suspected perceptual deficits lead to hypothesizing five syndromes characteristic of dysfunction: (a) developmental apraxia, distinguished by deficits in motor planning, tactile perception and finger identification; (b) tactile, kinesthetic and visual perceptual dysfunction in form and position in space; (c) tactile defensiveness, demonstrated by hyperactive-distractible behavior, faulty tactile perception and defensive responses to tactile stimuli; (d) deficit of integration of the two sides of the body, identified by difficulty in right-left discrimination, avoidance in crossing the mid-line, and incoordinate bilateral hand movements; (e) deficit of visual figure-ground discrimination.