Clinical utility of the background interference procedure for the Bender-Gestalt test

Abstract

Reviewed evidence for the validity of the Background Interference Procedure (BIP) version of the Bender-Gestalt test as a screening test for organic brain dysfunction. Low reliability and shortcomings in BIP validation studies suggest that the diagnostic validity of the BIP is lower than previously reported. A study was conducted in which the BIP was used to determine the presence or absence of brain dysfunction in groups of 45 brain-damaged and 39 nonimpaired male inpatients who were equated for age and education. Both the hit rate (61%) and relative accuracy of the BIP, compared with the EEG and neuroradiological procedures, were lower than in most earlier reports. The results are seen as limiting the usefulness of the BIP as a screening test for brain damage. A potential role for the BIP as a measure of constructional praxis is discussed.