Grooved Pegboard for adult employed South Africans: socio-demographic influences

Abstract

The Grooved Pegboard is a widely used test of psychomotor speed, and a number of socio-demographic and psychological influences on performance have been reported. To accurately interpret Grooved Pegboard results, the effects of these influences need to be considered. This study investigated the effects of socio-demographic, psychological, and anthropometric variables on performance in a sample of 3272 healthy adult South Africans. Age and gender were the largest contributors to variance in scores and should be used for reporting normative data. While separate norms may not be required for other variables, clinicians need to be sensitive to the effects of education levels and home language when administering and interpreting results. Work context, province of origin, non-clinical mood states, and body mass are probably less important when interpreting pegboard results.