Artificial intelligence-supported occupational therapy program on handwriting skills in children at risk for developmental coordination disorder: Randomized controlled trial

This study investigates the impact of an AI-supported occupational therapy program, developed using the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), on handwriting skills in children at risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 42 children aged 8-12 years, identified as being at risk for DCD using the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ). Participants were randomized into an intervention group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 21). The intervention group received an AI-supported occupational therapy program twice weekly for 8 weeks. Handwriting performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA).

Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group across all MHA subdomains, including writing speed, alignment, size, spacing, shape, and legibility (p < 0.001). The most pronounced improvements were in shape (d=2.279), alignment (d=1.893), and the total score (d=2.291). In contrast, the control group showed minimal changes, with significant improvement observed only in alignment (p = 0.006; d=0.311). Between-group comparisons demonstrated superior performance in the intervention group across all subdomains (p < 0.05).

This study highlights the transformative potential of AI-supported occupational therapy programs in addressing the multifaceted challenges of handwriting rehabilitation in children at risk for DCD.