Developmental Dysgraphia: A New Approach to Diagnosis

Abstract

Writing is a complex skill. Issues in this process, which are usually associated with developmental dysgraphia (DD), could consistently cause problems in everyday life, like for example, lower self-esteem and poorer academic achievement. That is why the correct diagnosis of DD is crucial for further child development. DD belongs to the category of specific learning disabilities and according to different studies, its prevalence ranges between 0.1 and 30 percent. Diagnosing a child with DD relies, in the first place, on teachers. After that, psychologists, or special educational specialists (in the Czech Republic) commonly use qualitative evaluation of the written process, where the child is observed when he or she is writing. Nevertheless, there are no objective tests or standardized examinations for the assessment of handwriting deficiency either in special educational or psychological practices. In the frame of current research, a new quantitative approach to handwriting proficiency assessment was developed. Digitizing tablets (Wacom Intuos Pro L) with a special inking pen (Wacom Ink Pen) are used to record the online handwriting process and graphomotor skills of children. Administration templates contain simple graphomotor elements and complex figures related to DD symptoms and cognitive (memory and visuospatial) abilities. This new approach to diagnose handwriting issues will be presented in this article.Writing is a complex skill. Issues in this process, which are usually associated with developmental dysgraphia (DD), could consistently cause problems in everyday life, like for example, lower self-esteem and poorer academic achievement. That is why the correct diagnosis of DD is crucial for further child development. DD belongs to the category of specific learning disabilities and according to different studies, its prevalence ranges between 0.1 and 30 percent. Diagnosing a child with DD relies, in the first place, on teachers. After that, psychologists, or special educational specialists (in the Czech Republic) commonly use qualitative evaluation of the written process, where the child is observed when he or she is writing. Nevertheless, there are no objective tests or standardized examinations for the assessment of handwriting deficiency either in special educational or psychological practices. In the frame of current research, a new quantitative approach to handwriting proficiency assessment was developed. Digitizing tablets (Wacom Intuos Pro L) with a special inking pen (Wacom Ink Pen) are used to record the online handwriting process and graphomotor skills of children. Administration templates contain simple graphomotor elements and complex figures related to DD symptoms and cognitive (memory and visuospatial) abilities. This new approach to diagnose handwriting issues will be presented in this article.