The visual system and good ocular motor control play an important role in the effective
development of gross motor, sport, fine motor and academic skills (Erhardt et al., 1988:84;
Desrocher, 1999:36; Orfield, 2001:114). Various researchers report a link between ocular motor
problems and attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Cheatum & Hammond,
2000:263; Farrar et al., 2001:441; Gould et al., 2001:633; Armstrong & Munoz, 2003:451;
Munoz et al., 2003:510; Borsting et al., 2005:588; Hanisch et al., 2005:671; Mason et al.,
2005:1345; Loe et al., 2009:432). A few studies were carried out to analyse the links between
ADHD and ocular motor control with regard to matters like visual attention, visual perception
and ocular motor control like eye movement outside the normal fixation point, but no studies
have been reported on the status of the ocular motor control of South African populations, and
the effect of visual–motor intervention on the ocular motor control or visual–motor integration of
learners with ADHD.
The aim of the study was twofold, namely firstly to determine the ocular motor control functions
and status of visual–motor integration of a selected group of 6– tot 8–year–old learners with
ADHD in Brakpan, South Africa, while the second aim was to determine whether a visualmotor–
based intervention programme can improve the ocular motor control and status of the
visual–motor integration of a selected group of 6– to 8–year–old learners with ADHD in Brakpan,
South Africa.
Statistica for Windows 2010 was used to analyse the data. The Sensory Input Screening
measuring instrument and the Quick Neurological Screening Test II (QNST–II) were used to
assess the ocular motor control functions (fixation, ocular alignment, visual tracking and
convergence–divergence), while the Beery Developmental Test of Visual–Motor Integration
(VMI–4de weergawe) was used to determine the status of the learners’ visual–motor integration
(VMI), visual perception (VP) and motor coordination (MC). The Disruptive Behaviour Scale, a
checklist for ADHD (Bester, 2006), was used as measuring instrument to identify the learners
with ADHD.
Fifty–six learners (31 boys, 25 girls, with an average age of 7,03 years +0,65) participated in the
pre–test and were divided into an ADHD (n=39) and a non–ADHD (n=16) group for aim one.
Two–way tables were used to determine the percentage of ocular motor control deficits in the learners with and without ADHD, and an independent t–test was used to analyse the visual–motor
integration of these learners. The Pearson Chi–squared test was used to determine the practical
significance of differences in VMI and VP (d>0,05). The results of the study reveal that the
majority of learners displayed ocular motor control deficits, regardless of whether they were
classified with ADHD or not. The biggest percentage of learners fell into Class 2 (moderate
deficits), particularly with regard to horizontal (68,57%; 52,63%; w=0,16) and vertical tracking
(65,71%; 73,68%), as well as convergence–divergence (80%; 78,95%; w=0,11). However, it
appears that ADHD learners experience more serious problems (Class 3) with visual tracking
than learners without ADHD (both eyes: 22,86%; compared to 10,53% (w=0,22); right eye:
11,43% compared to 0% (p=0,05; w=0,34); left eye: 14,29% compared to 0% (p=0,02; w=0,38)).
Learners with and without ADHD displayed a practically significant difference with respect to
visual perception (d=0,37) and motor coordination (d=0,5) compared to learners without ADHD
(who achieved better results).
For aim 2 the subjects were divided into three groups. A pre–test–post–test design compiled from
an availability sample of three groups (intervention group with ADHD (n=20); control group
with ADHD (n=10) and control group without ADHD (n=17)) was used for this part of the
study. The intervention group participated in a nine–week (3x/week and for 45 minutes) visualmotor–
based intervention programme in which the ocular motor control functions section was
applied for about 5 minutes per learner. Forty–seven learners (25 boys and 22 girls) with an
average age of 6,95 years (+0,69) constituted the experimental group, while a control group with
ADHD with an average age of 7,2 years (+0,79) and a control group without ADHD with an
average age of 7,12 years (+0,60) did not receive any intervention and just participated in the
pre– and post–test opportunity. A two–way cross–tabulation table was used to determine the
changes in ocular motor control functions. These results mainly revealed that practically
significant changes occurred in all three groups, be it improvement or deterioration in the various
classes of ocular motor control. It appears that as far as horizontal and vertical visual tracking is
concerned, and with convergence–divergence, more subjects were moved back from Class 3
(serious cases) to Class 1 (no deficits) and 2 (moderate deficits) in particular than in the other
two groups that had received no intervention. Independent t–testing was used to analyse
intragroup differences in the visual–motor integration subdivisions, while a covariance analysis
(ANCOVA) (corrected for pre–test differences) was used to determine adjusted average post–test
difference values. These results revealed that the motor coordination of the intervention group
improved more than that of the control group with ADHD (p=0,18). This can lead to the
conclusion that the intervention programme did have an effect on this specific skill.
Abstract The overall indications of the results are that learners with ADHD have a general tendency to
achieve poorer results in ocular motor control tests and with skills involving visual–motor
integration, visual perception and motor coordination than learners without ADHD. Although
only a minor improvement was identified in the experimental group after participation in the
intervention programme, it is recommended with regard to motor coordination in particular that a
similar programme be compiled for ADHD learners that focuses more specifically on the ocular
motor control needs of each learner, and that it be presented on a more individual basis in order
to accomplish greater improvement. / Thesis (M.A. (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/7314 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Van Wyk, Yolanda |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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