The Purdue Pegboard Test measures hand dexterity and brain function by having participants place pins into a pegboard using specific hands and processes. It can be used for diagnosing learning disabilities, occupational recovery, and evaluating candidates for assembly positions. The test has five scores and was developed in 1948 by Joseph Tiffin for industrial assembly job evaluations. It is also used by physical and occupational therapists to rehabilitate patients and evaluate individuals for developmental or learning disabilities and brain injury.
The Purdue pegboard test is a timed physical test used to measure hand dexterity and brain function. Test subjects are asked to place small pins into the holes in the pegboard using a specific hand and following a specific process. The test can be used as a diagnostic tool for learning disabilities, as an occupational recovery tool after brain or hand injuries, or as an indicator of likely performance for candidates applying for assembly positions.
The test rig consists of a pegboard, two stud cups, a set of washers, and a set of collars. The board features two parallel lines of holes running vertically down the center of the board. The pegs fit into the holes and the nuts fit into the pegs.
The Purdue Pegboard Test consists of five scores. In the first part of the test, participants are given thirty seconds to place as many pins as possible in the right column of holes. The pins can only be picked up and placed with the right hand and must be inserted into the holes in order, starting with the top hole. In the second part of the test, this process is repeated using the left hand and the left column of holes.
In the third part of the test, subjects have an additional 30 seconds to place pins on both the left and right columns simultaneously. They must use their right hand for the right column and their left hand for the left column. They still have to start at the top and work their way down. The fourth test score does not require the subject’s participation, but is rather a combination of the first two scores.
In the final part of the test, usually called the fitting test, the participant has to take a pin and insert it into a hole with their right hand and then take a washer and place it over the pin with their left hand. He must then take a collar and place it over the pin, over the washer, with his right hand and place a final washer over the collar with his left hand. Then it moves on to the next hole and repeats the process. He has 60 seconds to complete as many assemblies as possible.
The test was developed by Joseph Tiffin, Ph.D., in 1948. It was called the Purdue Pegboard Test because Dr. Tiffin was an industrial scientist employed by Purdue University. It was originally intended for use by employers evaluating candidates for industrial assembly jobs. While that use continues today, other uses have developed.
Physical therapists and occupational therapists often use Purdue’s pegboard test to rehabilitate patients after an accident. Retesting encourages use of injured muscles and also serves as a progress indicator. The test is timed, allowing therapists and patients to assess progress in a clear, objective and measurable way.
Purdue’s pegboard test is also used to evaluate an individual for developmental or learning disabilities and for brain injury. Test performance can show whether the correct neurological signals are being sent from the patient’s brain to his fingers. For example, a person with dyslexia may instinctively use the wrong hand to pick up the pin or may insert it into the hole on the wrong side of the chalkboard.
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