A short version of the Hooper Visual Organization Test: development and validation

Based on a previous analysis of the test protocols of 320 German-speaking neurological patients (Merten & Beal, 1999), a short form of the Hooper Visual Organization Test (VOT) was developed and examined using an independent sample composed of another 320 patients with a mean age of 55.7 years. Of the original 30 VOT items, 15 were maintained. Estimates of internal consistency for the resulting short form yielded acceptable results (0.82 and 0.84). Particularly high correlations of the short form (0.71) and the original VOT (0.75) were found with WAIS Block Design. Scoring rules for the proposed short version were thoroughly revised, and expanded test instructions presented, which includes a graphic demonstration of the task. Based on a regression analysis with the total sample of N = 640, preliminary cutoff points for the short version can be computed from traditionally employed VOT cutoffs.