title: Validation of the Pascual Graphomotor Test in Cuban school children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ability to draw is a complex perception and cognition function, which is acquired in infancy and is not usually investigated in the neuropaediatric clinic.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To validate the Pascual graphomotor test (PGT) in 5 to 11 year-old Cuban school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PGT was performed on a total of 172 children from the city of Havana Círculo Infantil del Municipio Plaza nursery school and from the 1st to 5th year of a primary school in the same area. The sample was systematic. The test was repeated the following day. All the drawings were scored blind by a neurologist and neurology resident.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the validation of the test the differentiation with age and school year was taken as a validation criterion. A high correlation was obtained between the ages of the children and the scores obtained. The Spearman coefficient was -0.78 (P=0.01), and a there was a similar inverse correlation between the school year and the test scores (Spearman coefficient=-0.79, P=0.01). The test was very reliable, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.99 for inter-observer agreement and 0.97 for the test-retest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The test was valid according to the criterion employed, differentiation with age and school year. The PGT demonstrated good temporal and inter-observer stability. We believe that it is a very useful tool in the neurological examination of Cuban school children.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología Pediátrica, Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Havana, Cuba. 　nicogaro@infomed.sld.cu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garófalo Gómez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goicoechea Astencio
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gómez García
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Pascual Pascual
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003462:Cuba; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012574:Schools