Dysgraphia Differs Between Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder and/or Reading Disorder

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Handwriting deficits, known as dysgraphia, are common in neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Understanding variations in dysgraphia based on associated conditions is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and differentiate handwriting deficits in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), reading disorder (RD), or comorbid RD and DCD.
• To investigate whether dysgraphia manifests differently based on the underlying neurodevelopmental disorder.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of children aged 7-12 with singular RD, singular DCD, comorbid RD+DCD, and typically developing peers participated.
• Handwriting was assessed using the Brave Handwriting Kinder (BHK) test on a graphic tablet, analyzing both product (trace quality) and process (movement).

Main Results:

• Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) primarily impacted handwriting quality.
• Reading disorder (RD) was associated with slower writing speed and, to a lesser extent, reduced quality.
• Children with RD (solely or comorbid) exhibited increased pen-lifting and stopping during writing, indicating process-level inefficiencies.

Conclusions:

• Dysgraphia subtypes exist, reflecting distinct motor impairments and/or strategies in children with DCD or RD.
• A fine-grained analysis of the writing process, alongside assessments of motor and reading skills, is essential for understanding and addressing dysgraphia.