【論文摘要】Applying A Computerized Handwriting Assessment Tool to Evaluate the Effect of Handwriting Intervention Programs in Children With Handwriting Difficulties

【論文摘要】應用電腦寫字感測系統評估手寫困難兒童的治療成效

鄭湘君(Hsiang-Chun Cheng) ； 楊文傑(Wen-Chieh Yang) ； 成戎珠(Rong-Ju Cherng)

《物理治療》 45卷2期 (2020/06) Pp. 188-189

https://doi.org/10.6215/FJPT.202006.P68

摘要

Background and Purpose: Handwriting difficulties affect the academic performance and participation of many elementary children. Various intervention programs have been offered by clinical therapists to improve these difficulties. However, it is not clear which of these programs is most effective. The purpose of this study is to applying a computerized handwriting assessment tool to evaluate the effect of a task-oriented training program on motor proficiency and handwriting quality in children with handwriting difficulties. Methods: Ten children with handwriting difficulties and 10 typically developing (TD) children, with the grade from 1 to 5 were recruited from Taichung city. Ten children with handwriting difficulties were allocated to the experimental group which receives a task oriented-training program, and 10 TD children were not. The motor proficiency and handwriting quality were assessed by the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) and the computerized handwriting assessment tool before and after the 24-week intervention program among the two groups. The study applied a computerized handwriting assessment tool that includes a digitizer tablet and electromyography activities objectively to access and analyze the handwriting intervention outcome. The outcome measures included the writing pressure, speed, stroke, size, space, legibility and muscle activities of hand, wrist, and fingers. Two way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the motor proficiency and handwriting quality between the two groups. Results: Significant differences were observed in the writing pressure, speed, legibility, the VMI, and five muscle electromyography activities of the children with handwriting difficulties following the intervention. After the 24-week task-oriented intervention program, the writing pressure, and the VMI test of the children with handwriting difficulties were improved more than the TD group. Conclusion: A 24-week task oriented handwriting intervention improved the fine motor and writing performances in children with handwriting difficulties. Children with handwriting difficulties had poor motor proficiency and handwriting quality than the TD children without intervention. Clinical Relevance: Our results provide important information to evaluate the effect of a task-oriented training program on motor proficiency and handwriting quality in children with handwriting difficulties and to help the design of intervention programs for children with handwriting difficulties.