Test-Retest Reliability of the Bender-Gestalt for First-Grade Children

Abstract
The reliability of the Bender was investigated for 144 first-grade children from a suburban school district. The test-retest interval ranged from 9 through 14 days. The Koppitz scoring system was used; reliability coefficients were determined for errors of distortion, rotation, integration, and perseveration as well as for the total score. The total time to reproduce the designs was also included. Magnitudes of the reliability estimates for the separate error categories were too small to justify interpreting scores individually. The reliability estimate for total working time was comparable to that for the total Koppitz score. Working time may be a stable dimension of Bender performance suitable for use in research.