Australian norms for handwriting speed in healthy adults aged 60-99 years

Normative adult handwriting speed data were last collected in Australia in 1982 using the Jebsen writing speed test. Updated norms are required by clinicians who measure and retrain handwriting. This study aimed to obtain and describe the range of normative scores for handwriting speed in healthy adults aged 60-99 years.

A descriptive cohort design was used. Tests included the Handwriting Speed Test (HST), Jebsen speed test, a self-generated sentence and shopping list, completed in pencil and pen. A sample of 120 healthy older Australians across four age cohorts was recruited (60-69; 70-79; 80-89; and 90-99 years).

HST: Mean letters/minute (SD) ranged from 113.3 (21.12) for younger men (60-69 years), to 66.8 (18.73) for older men (90-99 years), and 113.4 (17.57) for younger women to 61.0 (17.57) for older women. Jebsen speed test: Mean speed (seconds to copy a 24-letter sentence) ranged from 11.97 (2.62) seconds for younger men to 22.35 (7.73) seconds for older men, and 12.05 (2.41) seconds for younger women to 23.60 (8.80) for older women. Copied text was written faster than self-generated text, and faster in pen than pencil. No significant differences were found in handwriting speed between men and women. Overall, speed decreased with increasing age.

This sample wrote the Jebsen test sentence more quickly than age-matched peers in earlier studies, suggesting that norms should be updated regularly. Findings will inform therapists about factors affecting adult handwriting speed.