TEST of VISUAL PERCEPTUAL SKILLS3RD EDITION

TVPS-3
Caroline LaPierre
Alison Lessard

Test Description
Author: Nancy A. Martin
Publisher: Academic Therapy Publications
Complete kit - $176.00
includes examiner's
manual, record forms and
coil-bound test plates.

Test Description
TVPS-3 covers all of the ages that were previously covered by
the TVPS-R and TVPS-UL-R
Uses black and white line drawings for all of the perceptual
tasks.
Presented in multiple choice format and responses can be
made verbally or by pointing.
No basals are set and ceilings are reached after 3 consecutive
wrong answers.

TVPS-3 Theoretical Background

What is Visual Perception?
Allows us to process visual stimuli to identify what we see.
Process by which meaning is attached to visual stimuli and
believed to be a main component of cognition, learning
and development.
Current views believe that visual perception both
influences, and is influenced by cognition.

TVPS-3 Theoretical
Background
In order to perceive objects an individual needs
to be able to:
identify and object correctly even when the object may be
seen in a different orientation or if only part of it is seen
Identify one object among others in close proximity
know where an object is in relation to oneself or other
objects

Five categories of visual perception are: visual

discrimination, spatial relationships, visual memory,
figure-ground and visual closure.

TVPS-3 Theoretical
Background
Perceptual skills are not considered to be independent as
most visual perceptual tasks are integrated in nature.
As a result any one subtest does not just measure one
perceptual ability.

Purpose
To provide occupational therapists, school psychologists
and special educators a reliable and valid measure of a
child's perceptual abilities.
Visual perceptual abilities are important for academic skills
such as reading, it is important to understand which
processes a child is having difficulty with.

Appropriate Use
The TVPS-III does not measure sight or determine
any visual impairment.
TVPS-III does not measure the childs reasoning
ability.
Ages 4-0 to 18-11
May be used for diagnostic and research purposes.

Administration
Level B Assessment - There is no specific training required to
administer the TPVS-III.
TVPS-III is a non-language test and the instructions can be
given in any language.
Directions and instructions can be explained at a level the child
can understand.
Instructions may be repeated but further teaching beyond the
examples is not allowed.

Administration Continued...
The time required to complete the TVPS-III depends on the childs age and
success but a typical assessment takes about 30-40 minutes.

The testing environment should be free from any auditory or visual distractions.

Tests are generally administered individually, but may be administered to a

small group.

Each subtest begins with 2 sample items that are followed by 16 test items
arranged in order of difficulty.

Only two subtests are timed(Visual Memory and Sequential Memory)

Subtests
TVPS-3 consists of 7 visual-perceptual skills

Visual Discrimination
Visual Memory
Visual Spatial-Relationships
Visual Form-Constancy
Visual Sequential-Memory
Visual Figure-Ground
Visual Closure

Each of the subtests are arranged progressively according to

difficulty.

Visual Discrimination (DIS)

Assesses the ability to match or determine exact characteristics of two forms when one form is
among similar forms.

Visual Memory (MEM)

Assesses the ability to remember for immediate
recall (after about 4-5 seconds) all of the
characteristics of a given form, and being
able to find this form from an array of similar
forms.
Timed: Target item is presented for 5 seconds
response is not timed.

Spatial-Relationships (SPA)
Ability to determine, from among five forms of identical configuration, the one single form or part of a
single form that is going in a different direction from the other forms.

Form-Constancy (CON)
Constancy-ability to see a form, and being able to find that form, even though the form may be a
different size, and despite the size, being able to determine if the form is rotated, reversed or
hidden among other forms.

Sequential-Memory (SEQ)

Timed: 5 seconds to look at the target item.

Response is not timed.
Ability to remember for immediate recall a series of forms from among four separate series of forms.

Figure-Ground (FGR)
Ability to perceive a form visually, and to find
this form hidden in a conglomerate ground of
matter.

Visual Closure (CLO)

Ability to determine, from among four incomplete forms, the one that would be the same as the
completed form.

Scoring and Interpretation

Types of Scores
Scaled scores, standard scores, percentile ranks, age
equivalents
Manual encourages examiners to use standard scores,
percentile ranks, or standard deviation units rather than
verbal descriptors when explaining test performance.
New optional scoring component consists of three composite
scores: Basic Processes, Sequential Processing and
Complex Processes. Allowing the examiner to evaluate
related skills meaningfully.

Score Interpretations
Range in value from 1 to 19 and have a mean of 10 and a
standard deviation of 3
Indices and Overall Standard Scores
Reported as standard scores and have a mean of 100 and
standard deviation of 15
Percentile Rank
Suggested score for communicating with parents and
teachers
Age-Equivalencies
Should be interpreted with caution as perceptual skills
develop over time.
Scaled Scores

Score Interpretation
Visual processing depends upon the integration
of many skills, children having problems with
visual perception may present with different
combinations of symptoms and subtest
scores
Other tests, medical and developmental history,
and behavioral observations should be
integrated to develop a profile
of a child's strengths and
weaknesses

Interpretation
A childs low functioning on one or more of the subtests
does not signify that the child will have an academic
disorder, just as high scores on all subtests do not
suggest that the child will be free of any academic
disorders
The results obtained should be reviewed and interpreted by
the examiner for the purpose of remediation by
specialists within specific areas of expertise.

TVPS-3 Standardization
Updated in 2005 across the United States with a sample of
2008 students.
Most examiners were occupational therapists
1094 Male and 914 Female
74% were Caucasian
Age

Percentage

4-5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12-13
14-15
15-18

134
236
209
174
179
245
188
269
194
180

6.6
11.8
10.4
8.7
8.9
12.3
9.3
13.4
9.6
9.0

Reliability
Intersubtest reliability range is 0.75-0.88 and
0.96 for entire test
Test-retest reliability 0.97 ranging from 0.340.81 with the average time between test 21
days by same examiner.

TVPS-3 Validity
Content Validity: test items were chosen from previous
editions of the test and included easy and difficult items
from both the upper and lower levels. Item analysis was
conducted.
Criterion-Related Validity: The TVPS-3 has a moderately
strong correlation to the Visual Supplement of the Beery
VMI at 0.67

Visual Perception and At-Risk

Populations
LD
- Demonstrated
difficulty with visual
memory and visual
closure

Low Birth Weight

- some born with
lesions to posterior
visual pathways
scored below the
10th percentile and
those without lesions
scored lower than
same age peers
overall

Reading Disability/Dyslexia
-

deficits in ability to
make sense of rapidly
changing visual input
Difficulty with form and
spatial relationships
90% of children with
reading difficulties had
deficits in figure-ground
ability

Brain Injury
-

Martin (2006)

disorganized
search patterns
lead to inability to
formulate accurate
visual models of
objects
Figure-ground
deficits are seen in
various brain
injuries
Right hemispheric
injuries more
difficulty with
visual closure than
left hemispheric

Strengths
1. There are no verbal responses needed

2. The subtests and designs are in no way language related, all subjects have an equal chance.

3. The designs are culture-free and free of language symbols

4. The test can be administered to individuals who are speech impaired, intellectually challenged,
neurologically impaired, partially sighted, hearing impaired.

5. Designs are made up of bold black lines and are easy to see.

6. Scoring is quick and easy and a simple interpretive graph can be provided.

7. Allows you to score each area of visual perception separately.

Limitations
1. Only assesses visual perception.
2. No interpretation or intervention suggestions.
3. Limited peer review and research.
4. Adequate receptive language skills are required.

Summary
Perception and cognition are closely related and many daily
tasks rely upon visual perception including reading,
writing, mathematical operations, driving and planning of
motor actions.
The TVPS-3 assesses 7 separate perceptual tasks and
provides an opportunity to look at each one separately
as well as in relation to one another (3 composite
scores).
Perceptual skills are not considered to be independent of
each other and most everyday tasks require the
processes to occur simultaneously.

References
Brown, T., Elliott, S., Bourne, R., Sutton, E., Wigg, S., Morgan, D., Glass, S., & Lalor, A. (2011). The
discriminative validity of three visual perception tests. New Zealand Journal of
Occupational Therapy, 58(2), 14-22.
Martin, N.A. (2006). Test of Visual Perceptual Skills-(3 rd ed.). Novato, CA: Academic Therapy
Publications.
Morrison, G. (1996). Test of Visual Perception Skills-Revised. Hydesville, CA: Psychological and
Educational Publications.
Sattler, J. (2008). Assessment of Children: Cognitive Foundations. La Mesa, CA: Sattler Publisher
Inc.