Copying skills of pre- and early adolescents 9- and 13-years-old

The Design Copying (DC) Test of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests is one tool occupational therapists use for assessing copying skills to determine the impact of visual motor skills on one's engagement in various occupations. This study focused on determining if differences exist in the copying skills of pre- to early adolescents, ages 9- and 13-years-old, using the DC Test. Results identified a statistically significant difference in Accuracy and Approach scores of the two groups (F(2)=11.53, p<.001), confirming a difference exists in the copying skills of pre- to early adolescents as determined by scores on the DC Test. Separate independent t-tests confirmed differences exist between the two groups in Accuracy (t(58)=-4.84, p<.001), Approach (t(58)=-2.54, p=0.14) and Total Scores ( t(58)=-4.531, p<.001). No ceiling effect was found when combining participants' scores, supporting that the DC Test is sufficiently sensitive to detect differences in pre- to early adolescents, ages 9- and 13-years-old.