The aim of the study was to look at the psychomotor skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and relate the results to sex, age and type of training. Place of training had three different categories: training at Finnish Red Cross (FRC) courses for general public, training at workplace or training at both places. The study was conducted on 310 trainees on different first aid courses and events in Finland. The psychomotor skills were evaluated by observation with help of a CPR evaluation standardized checklist with 11 moments. Age showed to have an impact on the skills. Age groups 20, 30 and 40 performed the skills better than the age group 50 and above. To explain the difference with anxiety is not likely, as 41.1 % of the trainees informed not to be afraid in a real situation and only 27.8% answered to be or did not know if they would be afraid. More likely the difference can be explained by self confidence to act as well as by the fact that different age groups need different teaching methods. Repeating has also a big role with the competence. Trainees with health care background or active at FRC succeeded to get better results. They also managed better with the essential moments like calling for help and opening the airways. Obvious is that those with 3-6 passed first aid courses managed to get better results than those with 0-2 courses. Motivation to have skills in CPR have an impact when comparing the skills and place where you got the training. All 11 moments right had 43.8% of the trainees who got their training at a FRC course, and 28.0% of those who were trained at workplace. Same difference can be shown when comparing skills with the essential moment, opening the airways. Out of the trainees at FRC courses 89.9% performed it right and 62.7% of trainees at courses at workplaces. When evaluating the skills it is just not enough to look at the right moments, but as well at the crucial, life saving, measures. In order to save more lives by CPR training an essential factor in the training is confidence to intervene in the event as well as repetition together with different teaching methods for different target groups. CPR skill tests are an important tool for the future development of the quality of the teachers. / <p>ISBN 91-7997-096-6</p>