Understanding the flexible administration options of BOT-3
Guest blogger Bob Bruininks, PhD explains how the new BOT-3 offers flexibility for tailored motor assessments
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Everyone has heard the old expression “time is money”, well, when you're working with a big caseload and you've got a lot of ground to cover, your time is probably your most precious commodity, so you need to spend it wisely. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency™, Third Edition (BOT™-3) provides many avenues for practitioners to do just that, by customizing their evaluations to meet the specific needs of clients and their individual circumstances.
Hone your focus: subtests, domains, and composites
I think we can all agree that giving the full BOT-3 is the gold standard; it allows you to learn far more by looking across those eight subtests and all the tasks that are part of them. But, if time is a limiting factor, there are so many opportunities to really focus your assessment on the things that are most important to you. Examiners can compare individual subtests; combinations of the four domains (each including two subtests measuring related skills); and/or Fine Motor or Gross Motor Composites (each comprising four subtests). Useful comparisons are included on the BOT-3 Record Form and in the BOT-3 Examiner Manual. An occupational therapist may want to zero in on the subtests or domains that target fine motor skills, while physical therapists or adapted PE professionals might be more interested in giving the gross motor subtests or domains. A neurologist working with someone who’s experienced a brain injury might focus particularly on balance since that can be a limiting aspect of recovery. The ability to pick and choose combinations of subtests, domains, and/or composites helps ensure that practitioners can obtain the most relevant information for their specific field and needs.
The BOT-3 Brief, a concise overview of motor ability
Over years of talking to professionals about motor assessment, we found that some people wanted a brief instrument for exploratory testing or research purposes. The BOT-3 Brief allows you to administer a representative cluster of 10 fine motor items and 10 gross motor items from the full test. In addition to the overall standard score, you can now get a cut score to determine if someone is challenged in either of those areas. This provides a roadmap for more detailed and targeted assessment or monitoring, allowing you to follow the shortest route to the heart of the problem — and the solution. It also facilitates more effective screening to help ensure motor difficulties can be detected, assessed in greater detail, and addressed in a timely manner.
Supplemental scores that address specific clinical needs
The BOT-3 introduces several new and innovative supplemental scores designed to address specific clinical applications. It’s important to note that although they are supplemental, they can also be used as standalone scores without administering the full subtests from which the items were derived.
- Skilled Manual Performance: This composite score comprises the first three subtests (Fine Motor Precision, Fine Motor Integration, and Manual Dexterity) and can be used to great advantage for eligibility decisions and fine motor intervention recommendations.
- Planning and Coordination: Using 15 select items from across the full BOT-3 battery, this score indicates the extent to which individuals can plan, sequence, and integrate movements on both sides of their body. It’s particularly useful when assessing or working with individuals with known or suspected Developmental Coordination Disorder.
- Movement Fundamentals: This score tracks foundational movement skills (locomotion, balance, and object control) that are recognized precursors to more complex patterns necessary for play, sports, and everyday activities. It can be used to monitor younger children (~4–10) and their progress toward physical literacy. It’s derived from 13 items from the Upper-Limb Coordination, Bilateral Coordination, Balance, Strength, and Dynamic Movement subtests.
- Extended Balance: A thorough assessment of balance contributes to the diagnostic evaluation of movement disorders, provides useful data to guide intervention, and yields a more thorough understanding of the impact of injuries such as concussion. For those interested in exploring more advanced comprehensive balance skills, the BOT-3 offers the Extended Balance Score. The optional Extended Balance tasks combine the core balance items plus five additional items using a standardized Balance Beam.
Whether your interest in motor skills is a brief overview as part of a wider evaluation or an in-depth look at an array of abilities, the BOT-3 and BOT-3 Brief offer options to meet your needs. We built the tests in such a way that people have the choice to use individual subtests, single or multiple domains, composites or targeted clinical scores, all based on their priorities. There have never been so many ways to customize a motor assessment. With the BOT-3, professionals can look forward to more efficient, targeted, and comprehensive assessments, ultimately leading to better outcomes for their clients.