Computerized Handwriting Analysis in Children with/without Motor Incoordination

Abstract

We used computerized kinematic and kinetic analyses to determine the mechanism of handwriting deficit in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Totally, 72 children (33 DCD and 39 non-DCD) with handwriting deficit and 22 children without handwriting deficit (normal control) were recruited. The speed that subjects learned to write an unfamiliar character (i.e., the speed of execution) was used to assess motor learning of handwriting. Three simple and 3 complex Chinese characters were written, and the changes in the velocity and pressure for corresponding strokes were observed. In children with DCD, handwriting execution was markedly slower. They were able to speed up stroke movement to maintain stability (phasic strategy) in the writing of simple characters but not complex characters, and failed to use more pressure on the writing surface (tonic strategy) to stabilize movement. In conclusion, the parameters in this study are linked to underlying perceptual-motor functions and can be used to characterize handwriting problems arising from motor incoordination.