Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
[Validating and standardizing children's box and block test normal values]
Leidy Y Torres Espinosa1, Fernando Ortiz-Corredor2, Javier H Eslava Schmalbach3
1Sociedad de Medicina física y Rehabilitación (SOMEFYR), Bogotá, Colombia.
Insights
This study validated the box and block test for Colombian children aged 6-11, establishing normal values for upper limb function. Girls demonstrated higher average scores, and the test showed reliability and correlation with daily activities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Occupational Therapy
Background:
- Gross motor skills evaluation is crucial for pediatric functional assessment.
- The box and block test is a recognized tool for assessing upper limb function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate and standardize the box and block test's normal values for Colombian children aged 6 to 11 years.
- To establish normative data for upper limb functionality in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- The box and block test was administered to 411 children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in Bogotá.
- Parent and teacher questionnaires assessed functional performance in daily and school activities to validate the test's construct.
Main Results:
- Data from 386 children (55.4% male) were analyzed, with 67.9% attending public schools.
- Average scores were 60.9 for the right hand and 57.8 for the left hand.
- Girls achieved significantly higher average scores than boys.
Conclusions:
- The box and block test is a reliable tool for assessing upper limb function in Colombian children.
- Normative values, standard deviations, and ranges of normality were established.
- Test results positively correlated with age, daily activities, and teachers' academic assessments, supporting its construct validity.
Objective:
Evaluating gross motor skills forms part of a child's functional examination. The box and block test is a simple, useful method for evaluating upper limb functionality. This study was aimed at validating and standardising the test's normal values in 6 to 11 year-old Colombian children.
Methods:
The test was used on 411 children from two schools in Bogotá catering for children different socioeconomic classes. A questionnaire directed towards parents and teachers was used for evaluating the children's performance on every-day life and school-related activities for validating the construct; correlation with the test was established.
Results:
Data related to 386 children (55.4% male) was analysed; 67.9% of these children were attending a public school and 90.2% had right dominance. Average test score with the right hand was 60.9 and 57.8 with the left hand.
Discussion:
Girls' average test scores were significantly higher. A table was constructed from (and showing) the average values, standard deviation and range of normality. A positive correlation was found regarding test result with age and every-day life activities and the teachers' appreciation of children's scholastic abilities. The test was reliable, having 0.84 intraclass correlation for the right hand and 0.83 for the left hand.
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