Normative data for the Grooved Pegboard Test in Quebec-French middle-aged and older adults

The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT), commonly used with middle-aged and older adults, assesses fine motor control, psychomotor speed, and visuomotor coordination. Previous studies have shown the potential influence of sociodemographic variables on performance for this test. The present study aims to develop normative data for the GPT in the middle-aged and elderly Quebec-French population.

The normative sample consisted of 266 individuals aged 50 to 90 years from the province of Quebec. Multiple regression analyses were performed to estimate the association between the predictors (age, sex, education, and handedness) and the performance on each trial.

GPT performance was positively associated with female sex and negatively associated with age on all trials. Left-handedness was positively associated with performance on non-dominant hand trials. Finally, the interaction between age and education levels was positively associated with performance on the second non-dominant hand trial. Normative data are presented using regression equations. One should note that a gender imbalance was observed in the sample, limiting the generalizability of the normative data for men, especially in less-educated subgroups.

This study will facilitate the identification of psychomotor impairments in the middle-aged and elderly Quebec-French population.