Efficacy of a prewriting intervention: A pilot randomised control trial

Area of Science:

• Pediatric occupational therapy
• Early childhood education
• Handwriting development

Background:

• Successful handwriting relies on accurate letter formation, which depends on prewriting patterns and sub-stroke skills.
• Existing prewriting intervention programs lack established efficacy, and children's perceptions of these programs are understudied.
• This study addresses the need for effective prewriting interventions and understanding user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the efficacy of the Peggy Lego prewriting intervention program.
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention in a kindergarten setting.
• To explore children's perceptions of engaging in a prewriting program.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial involving 18 typically developing 4- to 5-year-old children.
• Participants were allocated to either an intervention (Peggy Lego) or waitlist control group.
• Data collected using the Developmental Test of Visual Perception and the Prewriting Assessment (PWA); intervention fidelity and acceptability were also measured.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant improvement in Prewriting Assessment (PWA) scores was observed over time (p=0.003).
• The intervention demonstrated high fidelity and feasibility, with most participants completing sessions and finding it acceptable.
• Group effects and time-group interactions were non-significant, suggesting improvement may not be solely intervention-driven.

Conclusions:

• All children showed improved prewriting abilities, though the specific contribution of the intervention requires further investigation.
• The pilot study confirms feasibility in terms of recruitment, retention, and data collection.
• Further research is warranted to establish the efficacy of the Peggy Lego intervention for handwriting development.