The Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test: A Validity Study

Abstract

The Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test (SCPNT) was developed as a measure of vestibular function and as a means of identifying LD children whose problems are associated with vestibular dysfunction as evidenced by hypo or hyper responsivity. The present study examined the adequacy of the SCPNT for these two tasks. Twenty normal and twenty LD children were given both the SCPNT and a rotational test of vestibular function in a blind study. The data were analysed to establish the correlation between SCPNT data and vestibular data and to determine the predictive validity of the SCPNT. Neither analysis produced significant results. It is suggested that the SCPNT, as well as diagnoses of vestibular dysfunction based on the SCPNT, be reexamined carefully and that use of the SCPNT be suspended until such time as the benefits of using it can be shown to outweigh its deficits.