Background: The Developmental Test of Visual–Motor
Integration (VMI) is commonly used to assess handwriting
dysfunction in children. The relationship between handwriting
and underlying abilities as measured by the VMI,
beyond the writing readiness stage, is unclear. The present
study examined the ability of the VMI to discriminate between
children with and without handwriting dysfunction.
Methods: As part of a larger research study, 35 children
with handwriting dysfunction from grades 4–6 (as identified
by their teachers) and 35 children without handwriting
dysfunction were assessed with the VMI.
Results: The VMI correctly identified only a small
number of the children with handwriting dysfunction
(sensitivity, 34%).
Conclusion: The authors caution against the routine use
of the VMI to assess older school-aged children with handwriting
dysfunction. Use of a model of practice and clinical
reasoning is recommended to guide the assessment of
children with handwriting dysfunction.