Kinaesthetic sensitivity of normal and clumsy children

Laszlo and Bairstow (1985a) stated that their Kinaesthetic Sensitivity Test (KST) was designed to be useful in researching the relationship between kinaesthesis and motor performance, and as a diagnostic tool to identify children with poor kinaesthetic function. This study examined the claim that many clumsy children perform poorly on the KST. It was found that the test failed to distinguish between the performances of clumsy children and those of an age-matched control group. Because of its psychometric shortcomings, the KST is unable to fulfil the claims of Laszlo and Bairstow, either as a research or a clinical tool.