The effect of using the dominant or nondominant hand on performance of the Rivermead Perceptual Assessment Battery

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Abstract
The Rivermead Perceptual Assessment Battery (RPAB) claims to be a standardized and validated test of visual perception. However, the published evidence suggests that several areas have not been considered by the authors of the test. One of these is whether the dominant or nondominant hand is used, particularly for those aspects of the test which require either pencil skills or the fine manipulation of objects. The purpose of this study was to conduct subtests of the RPAB on a group drawn from a nonclinical population to determine whether or not there are differences in performance between the dominant and nondominant hand. The study involved 35 first year university students who were right-hand dominant for writing. Each subject completed the four subtests twice, once with the right hand and once with the left. Statistically significant differences were found between right and left hand performance in both the score achieved and the time taken for right left copying shapes (RLCS) and right left copying words (RLCW), tests 11 and 12, and for time alone in cancellation (CA), test 15. No significant differences were found in 3D copying (test 13). Test 12 is of particular concern, as 24 subjects failed this test when using their nondominant hand. These findings have implications for the interpretation of test results when the RPAB is administered to stroke patients who, due to the nature and site of their lesions, may be forced to use the nondominant hand.

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