Differences in the performance of standardised fine motor assessment among Czech and Slovenian occupational therapists: the Purdue Pegboard Test
Authors:
Vondrová K. 1,2; Rodová Z. 1,3; Nováková O. 1; Rejtarová A. 1,2; Rotbartová E. 1; Zajc D. 4; Šuc L. 4; Sládková P. 1; Angerová Y. 1
Authors‘ workplace:
Klinika rehabilitačního lékařství, 1. lékařská fakulta, Univerzita Karlova a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze, Praha
1; Klinika rehabilitace a tělovýchovného lékařství, 2. lékařská fakulta, Univerzita Karlova a Fakultní nemocnice Motol, Praha
2; Klinika adiktologie, 1. lékařská fakulta, Univerzita Karlova a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze, Praha
3; University Rehabilitation Institute Republic of Slovenia Soča, Ljubljana
4
Published in:
Rehabil. fyz. Lék., 105, 2025, No. 2, pp. 9-21.
Category:
Original Papers
doi:
https://doi.org/10.48095/ccrhfl20259
Overview
Introduction: Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) is an objective standardized test for fine motor skills assessment. It contains four physically administered subtests. The task is to place as many components as possible on the pegboard in a limited amount of time into holes exactly according to the given instructions. Specific situations often arise. It is necessary to react to them immediately and then take them into account when calculating the score. The aim of the project was to determine whether occupational therapists (OTs) from the Czech Republic and Slovenia react uniformly to the selected specific situations during PPT testing and whether they agree on their evaluation. Methodology: In 2021, an online questionnaire survey was addressed to Czech and Slovenian OTs. The questions included video demonstrations of six specific situations. Answers from 87 Czech and 67 Slovenian OTs were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results clearly confirm that OTs from neither country agreed on the ways of responding to the selected specific situations nor on their evaluation. Reusing a dropped peg on the test board would be counted by 20 respondents, with a further 17 stating the exact opposite. A pair of pegs, one of which was not completely tucked into the hole, was counted by 31 OTs and not counted by 8 OTs. A total of 16 OTs would immediately stop the attempt due to skipping holes during Completion, while 13 others would not consider it as a mistake. Due to the wrong order of the hands when making the assemblies, 20 OTs would invalidate the attempt, while 13 others would count it. Conclusion: The questionnaire survey confirmed that the new rules for dealing with specific situations arising during PPT and for their evaluation presented in the Czech extended version of the PPT manual are absolutely necessary for uniform objective testing in clinical practice.
Keywords:
occupational therapy – fine motor skills – standardized test – Purdue Pegboard Test – objective assessment
Sources
1. Rodová Z, Rybářová K, Kadeřábková L et al. Profil profese ergoterapie v České republice. Rehabil Fyz Lek 2021; 28(3): 132–138. doi: 10.48095/ccrhfl2021132.
2. Stijic M, Petrovic K, Schwingenschuh P et al. The Purdue Pegboard Test: Normative data from 1,355 healthy people from Austria. Am J Occup Ther 2023; 77(3): 7703205030. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2023.050023.
3. Tiffin J, Asher EJ. The Purdue Pegboard: norms and studies of reliability and validity. J Appl Psychol 1948; 32(3): 234–247. doi: 10.1037/h0061266.
4. Lafayette Instrument. Purdue Pegboard Test: User instructions, Model 32020A. Lafayette 2015. Dostupné z: http://lafayetteevaluation.com/products/purdue-pegboard.
5. Lee P, Liu CH, Fan CW et al. The test-retest reliability and the minimal detectable change of the Purdue pegboard test in schizophrenia. J Formos Med Assoc 2013; 112(6): 332–337. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2012.02.023.
6. Chen C-C, Ringenbach SDR. A Pilot Study for Test–Retest Reliability of the Purdue Pegboard Test in Adolescents and Young Adults With Down Syndrome. J Mot Learn Dev 2015; 3(2): 151–157. doi: 10.1123/jmld.2015-0004.
7. Poo YS, Chai SC, Goh PI et al. The standardised Malay version of purdue pegboard test: Content validity and test-retest reliability testing. Hong Kong J Occup Ther 2023; 36(2): 84–91. doi: 10.1177/15691861231179012.
8. Proud EL, Bilney B, Miller KJ et al. Mea- suring hand dexterity in people with Parkinson’s disease: Reliability of pegboard tests. Am J Occup Ther 2019; 73(4): 7304205050p1–7304205050p8. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2019.031112.
9. Sigirtmac IC, Oksuz C. Determination of the optimal cutoff values and validity of the Purdue Pegboard Test. Br J Occup Ther 2022; 85(1): 62–67. doi: 10.1177/03080226211008046.
10. Tiffin J. Purdue Pegboard examiner manual. Chicago: Science Research Associates 1968.
11. Siegel M, Hirschhorn B. Adolescent Norms for the Purdue Pegboard Test. Personnel and Guidance Journal 1958; 36(8): 563–565. doi: 10.1002/j.2164-4918.1958.tb01115.x.
12. Sattler JM, Engelhardt J. Sex differences on Purdue Pegboard norms for children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology 1982; 11(1): 72–73. doi: 10.1080/15374418209533066.
13. Mathiowetz V, Rogers SL, Dowe-Keval M et al. The Purdue Pegboard: Norms for 14- to 19-year-olds. Am J Occup Ther 1986; 40(3): 174–179. doi: 10.5014/ajot.40.3.174.
14. Desrosiers J, Hébert R, Bravo G et al. The Purdue Pegboard Test: normative data for people aged 60 and over. Disabil Rehabil 1995; 17(5): 217–224. doi: 10.3109/09638289509166638.
15. Llamas-Velasco S, Romero Ferreiro C, González Fuertes Á et al. Home calligraphic exercises as manual dexterity training in patients with Parkinson’s disease: A pilot feasibility study. Disabil Rehabil 2023; 46(5): 870–874. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2181408.
16. Boerwinkle VL, Sussman BL, de Lima Xavier L et al. Motor network dynamic resting state fMRI connectivity of neurotypical children in regions affected by cerebral palsy. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1339324.
17. Ojardias E, Adham A, Bessaguet H et al. Efficacy of a new video observational training method (intensive visual simulation) for motor recovery in the upper limb in subacute stroke: a feasibility and proof-of-concept study. J Rehabil Med 2024; 56: jrm36119. doi: 10.2340/jrm.v56.36119.
18. Tutar B, Boyan N, Oguz O. Effects of chronic neck pain on grip strength and psychomotor skills in adults. J Oral Rehabil 2024; 51(10): 1989–1996. doi: 10.1111/joor.13784.
19. Lai YJ, Lin YC, Hsu CH et al. Are the sensorimotor control capabilities of the hands the factors influencing hand function in people with schizophrenia? BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23(1): 807. doi: 10.1186/s12888-023-05259-w.
20. Tygesen MLB, Maigaard K, Hagstrøm J. Fine Motor Skills in Children with Tourette Syndrome and their Unaffected First-degree Siblings. Scand J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Psychol 2023; 11(1): 60–68. doi: 10.2478/sjcapp-2023-0006.
21. Iokawa K, Fujita T, Yoshida S. Change of hand sensation and function in patients with malignant lymphoma during early-stage vincristine chemotherapy: A single-center observational study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103(20): e38207. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038207.
22. Ergen Hİ, Keskinbıçkı MV, Öksüz Ç. The Effect of Proprioceptive Training on Hand Function and Activity Limitation After Open Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2024; 105(4): 664–672. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.12.004.
23. Fujimura S, Omokawa S, Hasegawa H et al. Arthroscopy-Assisted Surgery for Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis. J Hand Surg Asian Pac 2024; 29(1): 12–16. doi: 10.1142/S2424835524500024.
24. Teoh RF, Chai SC, Razaob Razab NA. The effectiveness of therapeutic craft-making activities in treating lower-third forearm fracture: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2024; 25(1): 184. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08008-w.
25. Yalçın G, Mülkoğlu C, Gülmez S et al. The effect of mirror therapy in the rehabilitation of flexor tendon injuries after primary surgical repair. Hand Surg Rehabil 2024; 43(1): 101612. doi: 10.1016/j.hansur.2023.10.006.
26. Hsu HY, Chen PT, Kuan TS et al. A Touch-Observation and Task-Based Mirror Therapy Protocol to Improve Sensorimotor Control and Functional Capability of Hands for Patients With Peripheral Nerve Injury. Am J Occup Ther 2019; 73(2): 7302205020p1–7302205020p10. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2018.027763.
27. Lin KC, Wu YF, Chen IC et al. Dual-task performance involving hand dexterity and cognitive tasks and daily functioning in people with schizophrenia: A pilot study. Am J Occup Ther 2015; 69(3): 6903250020p1–6903250020p7. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2014.014738.
28. Uzochukwu JC, Stegemöller EL. Repetitive finger movement and dexterity tasks in people with Parkinson’s disease. Am J Occup Ther 2019; 73(3): 7303205090p1–7303205090p8. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2019.028738.
29. Chen S, Mao M, Zhu G et al. Cortical activity in patients with high-functioning ischemic stroke during the Purdue Pegboard Test: insights into bimanual coordinated fine motor skills with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19(5): 1098–1104. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.385312.
30. Sládková P, Vondrová K, Svěcená K et al. Proces ergodiagnostiky a jeho vývoj v kontextu aktuálních společenských změn. Rehabil Fyz Lek 2023; 30(2): 79–83. doi: 10.48095/ccrhfl202379.
31. Sládková P. Ergodiagnostika v rehabilitaci. Praha: Grada Publishing 2023.
32. Vaiglová E. Mapování práce ergoterapeuta v ergodiagnostických centrech České republiky. Praha 2019. Bakalářská práce. Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, Klinika rehabilitačního lékařství.
33. Rybářová K, Sýkorová J, Rodová Z et al. Česká rozšířená verze manuálu pro Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT): Model 32020A. Praha: Rehalb 2021. Dostupné z: https://rehabilitace.lf1.cuni.cz/publikacni-cinnost-uvod.
34. Rybářová K, Sýkorová J, Nováková O et al. Limitace hodnocení jemné motoriky ve vybraných standardizovaných testech z pohledu ergoterapeutů. Rehabil Fyz Lek 2022; 29(4): 215–221. doi: 10.48095/ccrhfl2022215.
35. Vondrová K, Hradilová J. Videomanuály pro administraci vybraných standardizovaných testů hodnotících jemnou motoriku. Ergoterapie: teorie a praxe 2023 [online]; 1(5): 29–30. Dostupné z: https://ergoterapie.cz/casopis-ergoterapie-teorie-a-praxe/1-2023/.
36. Šáchová A. Vytvoření videomanuálu správné administrace Purdue Pegboard Testu podle České rozšířené verze manuálu pro Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT): Model 32020A. Praha: 2022. Bakalářská práce. Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, Klinika rehabilitačního lékařství.
37. Sedlecká A. Výhody a nevýhody používání nové České rozšířené verze manuálu pro Purdue Pegboard Test. Praha: 2023. Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, Klinika rehabilitačního lékařství.
38. Vondrová K, Vondra T, Nikolchuk N. Vznikla počítačová aplikace pro administraci stan- dardizovaných testů jemné motoriky. Ergoterapie: teorie a praxe 2024 [online]; 1(7): 31–33. Dostupné z: https://ergoterapie.cz/casopis-ergoterapie-teorie-a-praxe-1-2024/.
39. Ćmielová D. Inter-rater reliabilita Purdue Pegboard Testu u dospělých osob po cévní mozkové příhodě. Praha: 2022. Diplomová práce. Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, Klinika rehabilitačního lékařství.
40. Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries. Summary of the occupational therapy profession in Europe. 2021 [online]. Dostupné z: https://www.coteceurope.eu/documents/.
Labels
Physiotherapist, university degree Rehabilitation Sports medicineArticle was published in
Rehabilitation & Physical Medicine
2025 Issue 2
Most read in this issue
- Guide to the peer review process in the journal of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine
- Differences in the performance of standardised fine motor assessment among Czech and Slovenian occupational therapists: the Purdue Pegboard Test
- Evaluation of pelvic orientation, type of spinal curvature, and posture in the sagittal plane
- The effect of tetrapolar interferential application of medium frequency currents on the autonomic nervous system