Koppitz Scoring System (Children)

Maturation and Equivalent Age Scale

Elizabeth Koppitz's (1964) system is designed for children ages 5 to 10 (or up to 11) and assesses visuomotor maturity.

Errors of execution are counted in four categories: distortion of form (distortion, disproportion), rotation (axis changes of 45° or more), integration (failure to join parts), and perseveration.

The sum total of errors is compared to a normative table that provides the "Equivalent Visuomotor Age" and the expected school level.

If the visual age is significantly lower than the chronological age, it may indicate a maturational delay or learning disability.

Emotional Indicators and Brain Injury

In addition to maturation, Koppitz identifies indicators of emotional maladjustment that do not score for mental age but do score for clinical diagnosis.

These include: confused order of drawings (lack of planning), wavy lines (instability), substitution of circles for stripes (impulsivity), progressive increase in size (low frustration tolerance), and large size (acting out) or very small size (shyness/depression).

The presence of indicators of "Brain Injury" is considered significant if the child presents multiple errors of execution that are not expected for his normative age.

Summary

This system assesses visuomotor maturity in children aged five to ten years. Execution errors classified into distortion, rotation, integration and perseveration are analyzed to determin