Visual-Stimulus-Recognition Guidance for a boy with Visual-Perception Difficulties

Abstract

  It is reported the case of a 5-years 4 months-old boy with dyslexia. Gaze-tracking analysis indicated an inability to search images ; thus, he was provided with visual-search techniques that improved his Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP) score. Eventually, he could write Kana characters. This study aimed to elucidate the association between the caseʼs visual-search and writing abilities.
  The case scored 82, 93, and 77 in the full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) , verbal IQ, and performance IQ tests, respectively, on WPPSI. A picture-vocabulary test revealed that his abilities were at the level of a 5-years-8-month-old (chronological age, 5 years 4 months) . His DTVP perception quotient was 70, and his visual-perception age for spatial-relationships was 3-years8-month-old.
  He demonstrated difficulty tracing entire characters. To confirm an issue in the visual-information input, an eye-tracker was used. The case and 10 age-matched controls were shown 6 images for a samedifferent discrimination task. Their gazes were filmed for 30 seconds, and the movement of their gazingpoints on the figures was measured. The case gazed lesser at figures than the controls, with limited gaze-point positions. To help overcome gazing difficulties, the patient was tasked with searching for targeted stimuli from a wide range of stimuli. Numbers and figures were randomly written on a monitor, and the case was required to search for numbers in an ascending order, starting from 1.
  At 6 years 3 months of chronological age, the patientʼs DTVP-perception-score improved to 95, and his spatial-relationship visual perception improved to that of a 5-year-3-month-old. He could then copy figures, Kana characters. This boyʼs disorder of coping figure and letter could have resulted from difficulties in conducting a visual search and grasping correct figure forms.