The use of outcome measures by occupational therapists to establish the effectiveness of treatment is important. The Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT) was identified as a standardised assessment suitable for the evaluation of outcomes related to the treatment of hand function. This study established norms for this test on 120 normal, ethnically diverse South Africans between the ages of 20 and 59 years. Statistically significant differences were found between the original norms published by Jebsen et al (1) and the South African sample for males and females, dominant and non-dominant hands and ethnic groupings. It is postulated that gender and cultural factors may influence the speed with which different groups complete functional tasks and these must be factored in when using the JHFT as an outcome measure in South Africa. The test appears to have limited application as a norm referenced test in South Africa, but may be valuable in determining progress in therapy or research.

Motor skills disorder of upper limb motor disorders is currently a frequent reason for large population disability. That is why it is necessary to adress this issue and look for possibilities of proper evaluation and therapy. One of the standard methods is Jebsen- Taylor test (JTT). This thesis deals with theoretical aspects of the Jebsen-Taylor test and presents results of the research verifying psychometric characterictics of the test as well as influence of demografic characteristics on the performance in the test. The theoretical part deals with motor skills disorder that are closely related with the test. The practical part presents results of the research using the sample of nonrandomised Czech non-clinical population. The aim is to create basic norms of the Jebsen-Taylor test and this particular population.The norms were created on a sample of 180 persons separately for men and women divided into three age groups (20-59, 60-75, 76-99). The age of the participants influences the results in most subtests of the Jebsen-Taylor test. With the increasing age, an average time of particular subtests increases, too. The gender influence was not notably manifested in most subtests. In the group of men the performance of the upper limb showed significant difference. On the other hand, in the group of...