Abstract
Literature surrounding the development of handedness emphasizes consistency, such that young children have weak, inconsistent hand preference tendencies. Furthermore, left-handers demonstrate inconsistent hand preference, where some use their non-preferred hand at least half the time. It has been suggested that hand preference is not solidified until age 6, where consistency improves with age. The WatHand Cabinet Test (WHCT) is an effective observational-based measurement of hand preference. Composed of a small, vertically oriented, two-compartment cabinet with a door covering the top compartment, participants are asked to complete a series of unimanual and bimanual tasks; therefore, several scores can be computed (e.g. skilled, bimanual, consistency and total score). The WHCT is significantly correlated with the Waterloo Handedness Questionnaire (WHQ; r = .795, p < .01) and the Annett Pegboard (AP; r = .542, p < .01) as a valid measure of handedness (Bryden, et al., 2007); however the reliability of this measure has yet to be examined. This study therefore aimed to assess the test-retest reliability of the WHCT. Typically-developing children (n = 92) and adults (n = 20) participated in this study; 94 right- and 18 left-handers. Participants completed the WHQ, AP and WHCT on two separate testing days. Results confirmed consistent hand selection within testing sessions; thus suggesting the WHCT is a consistent and reliable measure of handedness.Acknowledgments: Research Support: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (P.J.B)