TY - JOUR
T1 - Motor functions of higher education students with dysgraphia
AU - Tal-Saban, Miri
AU - Weintraub, Naomi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/11
Y1 - 2019/11
N2 - This study examines the motor skills and motor-related daily functions of higher education students with and without dysgraphia, and their contribution in predicting handwriting performance. The sample included 82 higher education students aged 20–35 years old. Thirty-four were students without any known developmental disorder (NDD) and 48 students had dysgraphia. We individually administered a test battery evaluating handwriting performance, fine-motor skills, and visual-motor spatial-organization skills. Students also filled out a questionnaire relating to their fine- and gross-motor-related daily functions. Overall, the NDD students had significantly better motor skills and motor-related daily functions. Additionally, the motor skills and daily functions explained 62.9% of the variance in handwriting performance, and they correctly classified 90% of the students into the handwriting performance groups. Yet only visual-motor spatial organization and fine-motor-related daily functions significantly contributed to the fit of the model. These findings suggest that students with dysgraphia continue to encounter handwriting difficulties in higher education. These difficulties are linked to poor motor skills and motor-related daily functions. Therefore, higher education students with dysgraphia may require assistance and accommodations throughout their studies, not only with regard to their academic performance, but also in their motor-related daily functions.
AB - This study examines the motor skills and motor-related daily functions of higher education students with and without dysgraphia, and their contribution in predicting handwriting performance. The sample included 82 higher education students aged 20–35 years old. Thirty-four were students without any known developmental disorder (NDD) and 48 students had dysgraphia. We individually administered a test battery evaluating handwriting performance, fine-motor skills, and visual-motor spatial-organization skills. Students also filled out a questionnaire relating to their fine- and gross-motor-related daily functions. Overall, the NDD students had significantly better motor skills and motor-related daily functions. Additionally, the motor skills and daily functions explained 62.9% of the variance in handwriting performance, and they correctly classified 90% of the students into the handwriting performance groups. Yet only visual-motor spatial organization and fine-motor-related daily functions significantly contributed to the fit of the model. These findings suggest that students with dysgraphia continue to encounter handwriting difficulties in higher education. These difficulties are linked to poor motor skills and motor-related daily functions. Therefore, higher education students with dysgraphia may require assistance and accommodations throughout their studies, not only with regard to their academic performance, but also in their motor-related daily functions.
KW - Daily functions
KW - Dysgraphia
KW - Fine-motor skills
KW - Handwriting
KW - Higher education
KW - Spatial organization
KW - Visual-motor integration
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071941088&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.103479
DO - 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.103479
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C2 - 31518720
AN - SCOPUS:85071941088
SN - 0891-4222
VL - 94
JO - Research in Developmental Disabilities
JF - Research in Developmental Disabilities
M1 - 103479
ER -