Comparison of the Koppitz and Watkins Scoring Systems for the Bender Gestalt Test

The Bender Gestalt Test was administered to 25 children referred for neuropsychological assessment and scored using the Koppitz system and the Watkins system. Although the scores obtained using the two different sets of criteria were highly correlated, the Watkins rules produced generally better performance. Review of the documentation provided for each scoring system reveals that this appears to be primarily a consequence of the normative populations involved in the standardization of the two scoring methods. Consequently, if a subject misses an equivalent percentage of scorable items for each system, that subject will appear to be performing at a higher level if the standard for interpretation is the Watkins normative data.