A test for the evaluation of manual dexterity.

In the last years, the use of tests with predictive value for scholastic progress has become widespread. While there is an aptitude test already in use for admission to our Dental School, we have also been conducting, without consequence to their admission, an investigation into the manual dexterity of candidate students. The aim of this test is to investigate basic manual dexterity, not ability following exercise. As previous, no such specific test had been formulated; the choice of test criteria we made was new. The tests investigated over five consecutive Academic years the ability to discern characteristics of a surface, to distinguish between different types of consistency, hand–eye co-ordination, the graphic activities, laterality and muscular strength. A re-test for some years was conducted afterwards. The results provided an overall evaluation: insufficient; sufficient; good; very good; excellent. Students who came from non-technical high schools showed a good comprehension of questions put to them, use of strategy, description of procedures; and final checking but a certain clumsiness in the hand–eye co-ordination test and a tendency to use one hand only. Students coming from technical high schools showed a less immediate grasp of questions put to them, sometimes requiring their repetition, disorganised behaviour in blind-fold tests, insufficient use of strategies and little checking but notable ability in hand–eye co-ordination tests and dextrous simultaneous use of both hands. These results were then correlated with the result of the aptitude test. In conclusion, a notable correspondence between student selection based on the aptitude test and the experimental manual dexterity test was verified. This correspondence outlines that manual dexterity is not only a ‘manual’ but a ‘mental’ ability . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]