Benton Visual Retention Test

The Benton Visual Retention Test (or simply Benton test or BVRT) is an individually
administered test for people aged from eight years to adulthood that measures visual
perception and visual memory. It can also be used to help identify possible learning
disabilities among other afflictions that might affect an individual's memory. The individual
examined is shown 10 designs, one at a time, and asked to reproduce each one as exactly as
possible on plain paper from memory. The test is untimed, and the results are professionally
scored by form, shape, pattern, and arrangement on the paper.

History
Arthur Benton was a historian who worked with neurologist Morris Bender during his military
assignment to the San Diego Naval Hospital. His experiences in the treatment of servicemen who
suffered from traumatic brain injuries led to his development of the Benton Visual Retention
Test.
Dr. Benton developed the test to provide a shorter assessment for immediate nonverbal memory
to supplement the popular digit span test, and selected a format that was resistant to both
emotional and subject-tester influence. The test was published in 1946, and is now currently in
its 5th edition.

Testing
Test format

A sample design used in Administration M of the Benton Test. The original design is shown at
the top, and after a delay, the four design choices are shown and the subject is asked to choose
the one that best matches the original design.
The Benton Visual Retention Test is composed of 3 sets, or forms, of 10 designs (each 8.5 5.5
in.) that measure the examinees visual and memory abilities as well as a set of alternate designs
for repeated tests.The examinee is given a booklet containing 10 blank pages on which he or she
reproduces the designs. These designs are used to gauge the examinee's visual perception and
memory, and can be administered five different ways.
These five methods are as follows:

Method
Description
Type

The examinee views each design for 10 seconds before reproducing them

The examinee views each design for 5 seconds before reproducing them

The examinee views each design and is allowed to reproduce them while viewing
C
the designs for an indefinite amount of time

The examinee views each design for 10 seconds, and then waits 15 seconds
D
before reproduction begins

The examinee views each design for 10 seconds, and then chooses the correct
M
design from a multiple choice of four displays
In every method except for Administration C, the original design is hidden before reproduction
begins.

Test scoring
The test can be scored two ways. The number correct score is calculated based on an all-ornothing approach; points are awarded if the reproduction of the design matches the original. The
number error score, on the other hand, is calculated based on the number and type of errors
made for each design. The major categories for these errors are omissions, distortions,

perseverations, rotations, misplacements, and size errors. These scores are then be compared
to several sets of normative data available in the manual, each representing different
demographic characteristics, and conclusions can be drawn by the examiner. The two different
methods of scoring allow for both quantitative and qualitative analysis of an individual's test.

Uses
The Benton Test is sensitive to many forms of brain impairments and diseases, but it is difficult
to diagnose a particular disease through the test. In fact, according to the test manual, a high
number of a single category of error should not be used as a diagnosis, but should lead to further
testing. High amounts of perseverations, for example, suggests frontal lobe damage, while the
omission of peripheral designs suggests potential brain trauma, especially in the right parietal
lobe. Overall performance does not seem to distinguish those with unilateral left or right
hemisphere damage. Nevertheless, examiners have shown to be able to discriminate among
perceptual, memory, and motor impairments based on analysis of the test
results. Dementia, brain lesions, thalamic stroke, and Alzheimer's disease are among the
afflictions that have been shown to greatly reduce an individual's BVRT score. Both the copy and
memory versions of the test are especially sensitive to dementia, and may help identify
individuals who are at risk for developing Alzheimer's later. In addition, learning disabilities
among children are able to be identified through the Benton Test. In 1983, the Benton Test was
included in the Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) to identify the effects of chemical
exposure on the nervous system and has since been used to assess chemical exposure in the

workplace.From its use in the NCTB, the Benton Test has shown sensitivity to various chemical
exposures, including mercury exposure, lead exposure, and pesticide exposure

Psychometric properties
According to the Benton Test manual, test-retest reliability of the Benton Test is 0.85, and
alternate form reliabilities range from 0.79 to 0.84. Correlation between immediate and delayed
memory recall (Administration type A and D, respectively) ranges from 0.40 to 0.83, depending
on the combinations of forms used. Included with the manual are standardized results for
children, adolescents, and adults, though each administration method have their own
standardization data. Total errors on the test have been shown to increase with age, especially
after the age of 70.

Criticisms and validity

The Benton Test has been criticized by test's requirement of the examinee's IQ or estimated IQ,
which can be difficult to obtain if the examinee is in a poor condition.In addition, data from
studies that look at the viability of retesting a patient have shown conflicting results; some
studies show no difference in scores after time has passed between two tests, while other studies
show a difference. Despite these reports, the Benton Test has several advantages over other tests
of visual memory These include: a more explicit scoring system than other tests. parallel-forms
reliability due to the presence of multiple form sets,and short administration time. Because of
this, the BVRT is still widely used today for a large number of clinical conditions.