Bender Gestalt performance of normal older adults

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Gerontology
• Psychological Assessment

Background:

• The growing elderly population presents unique challenges in assessing neuropsychological functioning.
• A brief, reliable screening measure for organicity is needed for older clients.
• The Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) is a commonly used tool in psychological practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide normative data for the Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) in a sample of healthy older adults.
• To evaluate the appropriateness of existing BGT scoring criteria for the aging population.
• To determine if the BGT can effectively screen for organicity in individuals aged 60 and above.

Main Methods:

• Collected data from 334 community-residing older adults aged 60 years and above.
• Administered the Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) to all participants.
• Applied the Hutt-Briskin scoring criteria to analyze BGT performance.

Main Results:

• The normative data indicate that, as a group, older adults (60+) do not perform on the BGT in a way indicative of brain damage.
• The established cut-off score, developed for younger populations, appears suitable for use with older adults.
• The BGT demonstrates potential as a screening tool for organicity in this demographic.

Conclusions:

• The Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) is a valid and appropriate screening tool for assessing organicity in older adults.
• Existing scoring criteria, such as the Hutt-Briskin method, can be reliably applied to this age group.
• Psychologists can confidently use the BGT for neuropsychological screening in elderly clients.