The Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test: Normative Data for Italian Population

Background: The purpose of this study is to provide normative data for the Italian population on the Developmental Eye Movement Test (DEM) and to compare these norms to those published for the American, Spanish, Cantonese, Japanese and Portuguese populations. Methods: 1122 children from 6 to 14 years of age participated in the study. All subjects were obtained through school vision screenings. The DEM test was administered as outlined in manual. The results were compared with other norms published. Results: Normative data for the Italian children is provided for ages 6 to 14 years. Significant differences were found among all norms published, but a larger difference was found for the Cantonese and Japanese in which vertical and horizontal time was faster than all others. And, when comparing the Italian to the American and second Spanish norms fewer differences were found. Conclusion: We have presented norms for the DEM test for the Italian population. The specific normative data provide an optimal and reliable clinical application of the DEM test. The comparison with other normative data suggests the application of a specific norm for each population because the DEM test appears to be a language and a cultural dependent test for all variables investigated.